Category: SIMPLY DELICIOUS SUNDAY

APPLE RICE STUFFING ~ SIMPLY DELICIOUS SUNDAY

Hi! I’m Wendy from The Local Cook, where I blog about eating simply and in season. I get to share a new recipe with you the 3rd Sunday of every month here at OUR KrAzY kitchen.
Believe it or not, some people (like my in-laws, cough cough) cannot stand the texture of soggy bread. So stuffing is a big “no!” Here is an alternative that I made last Thanksgiving and was a hit.

Apple Rice Stuffing             Source: Simply in Season
1 cup brown rice
2 1/3 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 large onion diced
1 stalk celery chopped
2 large apples, unpeeled, diced
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbs dried herbs (any combination of oregano, basil, thyme, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cook rice and apple juice until tender and set aside (about 40 minutes).
2. Melt butter in frying pan and sauté the onion and celery until soft.
3. Add everything else together and either stuff in poultry or place in a covered casserole dish and bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes.
It’s a really nice change of pace from the standard stuffing, even if you do like soggy bread! It’s sweet from the apples and brown sugar, but savory as well.

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN CHILI

Hi everyone, Tamy here filling in for Min.  You can normally find me at my home blogs 3 Sides of Crazy, Always Eat On The Good China, on Sundays here at OUR KrAzY kitchen and on Saturdays over at THE Motivation Station, but today Min asked to fill in for her while she goes through the excruciating withdrawal of no computer and she waits for her new one to be delivered.  I made up this recipe a couple of weeks ago when I was home without a car and the pantry was all but bare.  Good thing I did, the guys loved it and it’s perfect for Min’s theme, Try  A New Recipe Day!

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN CHILI
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, frozen
2 cups homemade chicken broth, frozen
1 can cream of potato soup
1 jar dried beef, chopped
1 Williams chili mix package
1 can chopped green chilies
  • Place frozen chicken breasts on the bottom.
  • Pour green chilies over chicken pieces.
  • Top with cream of potato soup.
  • Top with frozen broth.
  • Sprinkle chili seasoning mix on top of chicken broth.
  • Top with beef pieces.
  • Slow cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce to low for 6 hours. Or cook on low 10 hours.
Don’t forget to visit Min at The Bad Girl’s Kitchen for more fabulous recipes!

    GRAVESIDE CUPCAKES

    Hi there! This is Emily from EZ’s Recipes posting! Since “my” Simply Delicious Sunday fell on the week before Halloween, I decided to post something fun and, well, simply delicious in honor of the occasion. I went with these Graveyard Cupcakes. I actually found this recipe months ago and bookmarked it way back then with the intent of making them in time for Halloween.
    I realize that unless you are a regular follower of my blog, you do not know me very well, seeing as this is only the second time that I have posted over here at Our Krazy Kitchen. But if you are a regular visitor over there, it is no secret to you how much I love Halloween. I have been talking about it all month! And now we’re so close! Halloween for me, as a 30-something married adult with no kids yet, means getting all decked out in costume and going to a Halloween-themed party with friends. Hopefully in the near future I will become a mom, and it will take on a whole new meaning for me. My focus will shift from making Halloween awesome for myself and my adult friends to making it awesome for my kids and my friends’ kids.
    But it’s not just about the costumes and the costume parties. It is about the change in the season. Here in the Midwest, that shift in the weather in mid-October makes for that perfect chilly-but-not-unbearable temperature that just tells you that Halloween is around the corner. The leaves are turning color and falling. And then there’s the best part… the food. Which leads me to the point of my blog post today… my Graveyard Cupcakes. Which I have been dying to share with you, my readers.
    Just sharing this makes me all that much more excited for Halloween! They were a lot of fun to make, and they are so incredibly versatile that you can be really creative and there’s no going wrong with it.
    Ingredients:

    • 1 box chocolate cake mix (if you want to go the “easy” route… feel free to make the batter from scratch as well. If you use boxed cake mix, bake according to the directions for cupcakes)
    • Chocolate or Vanilla frosting – made from scratch, or store-bought, also up to personal preference
    • Sandwich cookie crumbs OR chocolate sprinkles for graveyard “dirt”
    • Cookies such as Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies or something similarly rounded to make a “tombstone”
    • Icing to write on the tombstones with – preferably black in color but other colors could work. Or, if you want to make “grass” you could always use some green!

    And from there it is pretty straightforward… make the cupcakes and decorate to your heart’s content! Have fun with it! I went with “grass” and “dirt” with mine, and experimented with both chocolate and white frostings. This is something that could be fun to make for a child’s Halloween party at school, or for an adult party… kids and adults will love them all the same!


    Every have a very safe, fun, and Happy Halloween! I will see you next month, just in time for Thanksgiving! Please visit me at EZ’s Recipes!


    GLAZED SESAME CHICKEN STIR FRY

    Food around here has been a little bland and colorless recently.  So, I wanted to spice things up a bit and this recipe did the trick.  Everyone dug in and had seconds too.

    GLAZED SESAME CHICKEN STIR FRY
    1 pound chicken breasts, poached and shredded
    1 red pepper, diced
    3 green onions, sliced thin
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 cups broccoli florets, blanched 2-3 minutes
    1 cup pineapple juice
    1/2 cup hoisin sauce
    1 tablespoon sesame oil
    2 tablespoons cornstarch
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, prepared al dente’

    • Heat wok or skillet to medium high. 
    • Add oil and coat pan well.
    • Add bell pepper and garlic and cook until pepper is tender.
    • Whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and cornstarch.
    • Add to the wok. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring well.
    • Add chicken.
    • Add broccoli tossing well.
    • Cook until sauce is slightly thickened.
    • Add noodles and toss well.

    HOT WING SALAD aka VOODOO CHICKEN SALAD

    Do you facebook?  I have to admit I did until this.  But, I digress, I played a few of the games while sitting on hold or watching TV late at night.  One of the things that came to mind on CAFEWORLD was, “are these real recipes?”  I did find a recipe for VOODOO CHICKEN SALAD, but it was nothing like I expected so I am making my own!


    HOT WING SALAD aka VOODOO CHICKEN SALAD
    Romaine Lettuce, torn and washed
    1 large Heirloom tomato, diced
    1 small red onion, sliced thin
    4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces 

    2 cups Flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon pepper
    hidden valley ranch dressing mix (DRY) OR Good Seasons Italian dressing mix (DRY)

    1 teaspoon lime juice
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    1/2 cup crumbled Bleu Cheese
    • I prepare the chicken breasts the same as you would HOT WINGS. 
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    • Wash and dry the chicken pieces.
    • Mix together the flour and seasonings in a plastic ziploc bag. Using a ziploc bag makes it easy to throw away the whole mess after dredging all the chicken pieces and it helps you coat every possible spot of the chicken pieces.
    • Add chicken a few pieces at a time and coat them well. Set chicken pieces aside.
    • While you’re doing this, have the butter melting in the pan. Start with 4 tablespoons and add as necessary, but make sure you don’t run out dry.
    • Once all the chicken has been dredged start frying. After you have the pan full pepper the pieces again. Don’t turn the chicken until you can see blood. You only need to turn the chicken one time. Brown evenly and then set aside on paper towels until all pieces have been fried.
    • As the last batch is frying melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a flat bowl. To that add 1/2 cup of Frank’s hot sauce.  Whisk them together well.
    • Spray a cookie sheet with PURE.
    • Dip each piece of chicken into the hot sauce mixture and put on cookie sheet.
    • After you’re all done and if you have hot sauce & butter mixture left, pour a little over the top of each wing.
    • Bake for 30 minutes.
    • Toss the torn lettuce, onion and tomatoes with the lemon and lime juice.
    • Add cooled chicken pieces and bleu cheese crumbles.
    • Pour on the desired amount of dressing and toss well.
    • Enjoy!

    PORK CHOPS with RED PEPPER SAUCE

    Hi Tamy here just filling for Simple Saturday.

    Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1/2 medium Vidalia onion, finely diced
    3-4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers
    1/2 cup fresh basil
    1/4 cup white wine
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 tablespoon  flour
     3/4 cup whole milk
    1 cup Gruyere cheese
    grated Parmesan cheese and basil for topping
    salt and pepper to taste
    • In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant, 5-7 minutes.  Add in red peppers and basil, continuing to cook until peppers are heated through.  Stir in white wine and continue to cook for one more minute.  Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Carefully pour into a food processor.  Turn on food processor and let run until pepper mix is creamy and only has small lumps.  Set aside.
    • Rinse out the medium sauce pan and add in the butter over medium heat.  Once butter has melted, whisk in flour and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in milk, stir constantly, and continue to cook until the sauce begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese, continually stirring until cheese has melted.  Stir in pepper mixture and return to stove stop.  Over medium low heat, return sauce to a warm temperature to serve.
    • To serve, pour over your choice of pasta and top with the Parmesan cheese and more fresh basil.
    Tonight I sliced a few potatoes into a pan.  Salt and peppered them well, Tossed a few pieces of white American cheese over the potatoes.  Topped them with browned some pork chops.  Poured the sauce over top and baked at 350 degrees for an hour.  The guys all but licked their plates!

      PUMPKIN WALNUT BREAD

      Hi there! I am Emily Z. from EZ’s Recipes, where I blog about my adventures in the kitchen, as well as the occasional restaurant review. I have been blogging for almost a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it. I am flattered and thrilled to be able to be a contributor to OuR KrAzy kItChEn. I will be posting here the 4th Sunday of every month.
      Fall is my favorite season. If you read my blog, you will see that clearly as I talk about it often. I feel that Fall offers so much… the pretty weather, the change in colors, the activities (football! Halloween!), and the foods. One of my favorite fall foods is pumpkin.
      This time of year also brings out my desire to use my bread maker and my crock pot. I got this recipe out of the little cookbook that came with my bread maker. I love using my bread maker! It fills the house with such lovely smells and so far I have not been disappointed with a single loaf of bread that I have made! This one included; the addition of the walnuts and the cranberries in the pumpkin bread is fantastic.
      Please also join me over at EZ’s Recipes for lots of fun and delicious recipes in between my posts here! I have some fun stuff up my sleeve for Halloween coming up, so please stay tuned!
      Ingredients:

      • 1/4 cup oil
      • 1 cup canned pumpkin
      • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
      • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
      • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
      • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
      • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/2 cup walnuts
      • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

      1. Place ingredients, in order listed, in bread pan fitted with kneading paddle. Place in bread maker and select Quick Bread/Cake. Press Crust and select Medium (or to taste). Press Loaf and select dough size (I generally go with 2 pound loafs myself).
      2. After batter has mixed for about 4 minutes, stir sides and bottom of bread pan with rubber spatula to ensure complete mixing. Allow to continue mixing.
      3. When cycle is completed, remove bread from machine and transfer to wire rack to cool. Bread slices best when allowed to cool. If not serving after cooling, wrap in foil to maintain freshness when completely cooled.

      CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN with PEPPER GRAVY & FAMILY FAVORITE MASHED POTATOES

      CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN
      2 large boneless chicken breasts
      1 cup buttermilk
      1 cup flour
      1 teaspoon salt
      1 teaspoon pepper
      2-4 tablespoons butter (enough to keep chicken from burning~add as necessary)
      • Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts.
      • In a shallow glass pan, pour buttermilk over chicken 1-2 hours prior to cooking.
      • Make sure to coat chicken well and turn at least once during soaking.
      • Drain, but do NOT rinse the buttermilk off.
      • In a medium sized skillet melt the butter over medium heat. As butter melts and begins to very slightly sizzle, prepare breasts.
      • In a small ziploc bag mix together the flour, salt and pepper.
      • One at a time, put each chicken breast in bag and coat well with flour mix and then into sizzling butter.
      • Cook on one side until edges begin to bleed and then turn.
      • About 6 minutes each side depending on plumpness.
      • Keep chicken warm.
      PEPPERED GRAVY
      3 tablespoons butter
      5 tablespoons Wondra flour
      1 1/4 cups whole milk
      3/4 cup whipping cream
      3/4 teaspoon salt
      1/2 teaspoon Black pepper + (to taste)
      • Melt butter into bottom of pan you just cooked the chicken in.
      • Scrape up any of the chicken pieces and mix into new butter.
      • Add flour slowly, stirring until absorbed by butter and golden brown.
      • Slowly add first the milk and then the cream.
      • Stir constantly until thickens.
      • If necessary sprinkle in more Wondra until desired thickness is reached.
      • Serve over chicken and mashed potatoes.
      FAMILY FAVORITE MASHED POTATOES
      4 large Yukon potatoes, peeled & quartered
      4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

      1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin

      1/4 + buttermilk
      4 tablespoons butter
      salt & pepper to taste
      • Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender.
      • Drain.
      • Mash all together, salt and peppering to taste as you go. 

      MEXICAN SWISS STEAK

      Hi Tamy here filling in for Min today which works well with her theme, Try a New Recipe.  This recipe is the perfect Try A New Recipe.

      I recently had a thrift store find beyond belief.  An old recipe box full of old hand written recipes.  I estimate they are from the 50-60’s era when women passed around recipes at morning coffee, tupperware parties and PTA meetings.

      This recipe called for either a can of diced tomatoes OR a can of cream of chicken soup for a creamy version.  I decided to amp it up a bit and added a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles and changed the soup from chicken to celery.  What resulted was an extremely tender and spicy round steak in its own gravy.
      MEXICAN SWISS STEAK
      2 pounds round or swiss steak, 3/4 inches thick
      1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
      1 pound can tomatoes OR 1 can cream of chicken soup
      1 can ROTEL tomatoes with green chiles
      1 can cream of celery soup
      salt & pepper to taste
      • Salt and pepper each piece of meat.
      • Cut meat into serving size pieces
      • Whisk together the soup and tomatoes until well blended.
      • Layer meat, onion rings and soup several times in crock pot.
      • Cook on low 8-10 hours.

      I served it with Potato casserole and the guys wolfed it ALL down!

      DON’T FORGET!
      It’s PARTY time here at OUR KrAzY kitchen.
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      Be sure to link up on the sidebar to join the party.

      PEACH BBQ RIBS

      3 pounds cut spareribs
      1 can Peach Comstock*
      1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s hickory smoke BBQ sauce**
      Juice of 1 lemon
      salt and pepper 
      1 tablespoon Frank’s hot sauce

      • Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper; rub well. 
      • Place in baking dish and top tightly with foil, shiny side in.
      • Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, reduce heat to 375 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. 
      • Pour off any excess liquid. 
      • In the meantime pour peach Comstock into a food processor and puree.
      • Add BBQ sauce, hot sauce and lemon juice. Pulse until well blended.
      • Remove from oven, brush meat with sauce, turn, brush sauce on other side. 
      • Bake at 375 degrees with foil loose and open 30 minutes.

      *Cherry works great too!

      **or any other favorite brown sugar based sauce – I’m allergic to mustard so Sweet Baby Ray’s is about the only prepared sauce on the market I can use.  I really prepare to make sauce fresh.

      BACON BALSAMIC GREEN BEANS & CARROTS

      BACON BALSAMIC GREEN BEANS & CARROTS

      3 large carrots, cleaned and sliced (about 2 cups)
      1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut bite sized (about 2 cups)
      1 bunch green onions, sliced
      3 tablespoons almond slivers
      4 slices thick bacon, chopped
      1/4 cup brown sugar
      1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
      • Cook the carrots and green beans in boiling water for 3-5 minutes until crisp tender.
      • Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.
      • Drain and set aside.
      • In a hot skillet brown bacon until crisp.
      • Remove with slotted spoon to drain on a papertowel.
      • Add green onions and saute’ until tender.
      • Add almonds and saute a minute more.
      • Remove almonds and onions with slotted spoon to drain on papertowel also.
      • Add brown sugar and vinegar to skillet and blend well until sugar is well dissolved.
      • Add green beans, carrots, onions, almonds and bacon.
      • Toss until well coated.

      BOHEMIAN PORK CHOPS aka PORK CHOPS IN BEER GRAVY and a drum roll please…

      Let’s start the day off with our big CSN giveaway winner.  Drum roll please…

      The winner is Julie from Mommie Cooks!
      Congratulations!

      This was from another scrap of recipe I found in gram’s things.  I don’t know if she ever made it, but pork chops and beer in the same sentence got hubby’s interest and so we had some fun experimenting with this recipe.

      BOHEMIAN PORK CHOPS aka PORK CHOPS IN BEER GRAVY
      4-6 thick boneless pork chops
      1 small onion, cut into thin rings
      1 stalk celery, chopped
      3 tablespoons flour
      salt and pepper to taste
      2 tablespoons butter
      2/3 cup water
      1 beer ~ your favorite flavor
      • In a large skillet, melt butter.
      • Brown pork chops, generously salting and peppering.
      • Remove pork chops, keep warm.
      • Saute’ onion and celery until soft and translucent.
      • Add flour, stirring until golden.
      • Add water, stirring until well blended.
      • Add beer and simmer until begins to thicken.
      • Add pork chops back in and heat through.
      aprons 3