Author: QuiltLady

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

This is a great recipe that is a super easy casserole replacement for the time consuming task of stuffing tamale husks.

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Place a 10 inch cast iron pan on a baking sheet and place in oven to warm.

FILLING
3 cups chopped FRESH tomatoes
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced into a paste
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Wondra flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Pulse together 2 cups of the tomatoes, onions and garlic until ALMOST pureed.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a skillet.
  • Stir in the chili powder and flour.
  • Whisk in the broth and tomato puree mixture and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Cool.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce.
  • Add in chicken and remaining tomatoes.

TOP CRUST
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon FRESH ground sea salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 LARGE egg
1 can SHOEPEG corn, drained
1 small can green chiles, drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 cups shredded cheese (combination of cheddar and jack)

  • Combine the cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  • Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and egg.
  • Fold in dry ingredients to the wet ingredients JUST until combined.
  • Gently fold in corn and green chiles.

ASSEMBLY

  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  • Add the butter to the cast iron pan.
  • Carefully pour the batter into the pan and bake 20 minutes.
  • Poke holes in cornbread.
  • Spread reserved sauce over the cornbread.
  • Top with chicken mixture.
  • Sprinkle cheese over chicken mixture.
  • Return baking sheet to oven and bake 10 minutes until cheese melts.

 

BLOGTOBER – DAY 10 – A FALL LOOK BACK THROUGH THE BLOG

Today’s prompt of ‘A LOOK BACK THROUGH THE BLOG‘ brought me a lot of memories, especially of more recent years past when we have lived in some more colorful places.  Fall is TRULY my favorite season and always has been.  Fall is the season where we truly welcome in all the cozy traditions, family holidays, comfort food recipes and cute clothes too!  Fall is also the season I do 80% of my canning in.

Here are a few fall pictures from recent years past. 



And here’s a recipe for one of my ALL time favorite fall recipes – Chicken Chili.

HARVEST STUFFED PORK CHOPS

HARVEST PORK CHOPS
8 boneless pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
2 cups small chopped celery
1 small red onion, chopped small
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
2 cups crispy bread cubes for stuffing
2 cups chicken broth
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup pineapple jam
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Carefully cut a pocket into each pork chop.
  • Combine the celery, onion, parsley, bread cubes, chicken broth, melted butter and cranberries until well blended.
  • Add a large scoop of stuffing to each pork chop and close with a toothpick.
  • Spread remaining stuffing mix into baking dish.
  • Generously season each chop with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Sear each pork chop on each side and place on top of stuffing in baking dish.
  • Cover with foil.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Heat jam and remaining cranberry sauce for 30 seconds in microwave.
  • Uncover chops and spread sauce mixture over top.
  • Return to oven and and bake another 10 minutes until chops reach 160°.

NOTE: Dried cranberries can be substituted, but you’ll need to increase the chicken broth by 1/4 cup for additional moisture.

BLOGTOBER 2019 day 9

I’m joining Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Blogtober 2019.  I’m joining a bit late, but I’ll try to catch up as I can.  Her prompt today is “IN THE KITCHEN“.

Joining in today is a bit ironic as Sandra described the kitchen as her favorite room of the house which is mine too! Ever since I was old enough to read I have had a fascination with recipes and cooking.  When I was young the kitchen was where my family always gathered for meals, but also to catch up with each other, celebrate or play board games.  Whether it was grams cooking Sunday dinner or my dad preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the kitchen is a place that holds a lot of GREAT memories for me.

The kitchen above is one of the designs in my head that I love to dream about having someday.  The kitchen no matter the house we’re in is where I brainstorm for new recipes, read cookbooks cover to cover and tag the pages I want to try, plan most of my blog posts and enjoy myself the most!  I’m a strange woman – I actually like to do dishes and clean!  So the kitchen is really my favorite room!  I LOVE all the aromas of simmering sauces or baking breads and sweets.  Each one gives me a sense of accomplishment or brings back a tender memory of a family recipe.

I really LOVE the antique recipes I have come across over the years and recreating them to the best of my ability or seeing one of the recipes written by my grams and the memories of making it again brings.  But, I also love technology, new gadgets and bringing those same recipes into the 21st century.

CHILI TAMALE PIE

CHILI TAMALE PIE
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 1/2 cups mild enchilada sauce
1 can shoepeg corn, drained
12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and Jack)
1 Jalapeno pepper, optional

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Spray 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Start browning ground beef in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add onions, garlic, chili powder and salt cooking 5 minutes or so, stirring often.
  • Add beans and half of the sauce, bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Add corn and return to simmer 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Spread half of the remaining sauce in the baking dish.
  • Top with 4 tortillas, overlapping as needed.
  • Top with half the cheese followed by half the filling mixture.
  • Add 4 more tortillas.
  • Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cheese and remaining filling.
  • Top with last 4 tortillas, remaining sauce, remaining cheese and jalapenos if using.
  • Grease one side of a sheet of foil and place greased side on top of baking dish.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN WINE

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN WINE
2-3 pounds chicken thighs
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 can Cream of chicken soup or soup substitute
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 potato per person, halved and quartered into bite size pieces.
2 cups baby carrots
Chopped Parsley, garnish

  • Whisk together the broth, wine and soup.
  • Spray slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Pour soup mixture into slow cooker insert.
  • Generously season chicken thighs.
  • Place chicken thighs in soup mixture and cover.
  • Cook on high 4-6 hours.
  • Add potato pieces and carrots.
  • Recover and cook 1 hour more on low.
  • Serve over rice pilaf or mashed potatoes.

NOTE: If sauce is too thin when you add potatoes and carrots add a quick corn starch slurry.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY WEEK 41 OF 2019

Be sure to join us and link up with
Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday

GOOD MORNING We had a productive weekend.  On Saturday we removed the last of the dead garden.  The last little corner showed one last remnant of the opossum’s reign of vandalism with more half eaten tomatoes!  Hubby got the soil turned and we covered IT with heavy black plastic and pavers to preserve it for spring.  He also sprayed the areas that the blackberry vines were trying to desperately climb through the new fence and take over – they sure are invasive things!!! 

On Sunday we watched some football, NASCAR races and I watched over and played with the munchkins for several hours which is always so much fun and a huge JOY for me 😀 I worked on some recipe posts and the BLOGMAS list while we were watching football.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING We had a seriously fall week with a slightly warmer weekend, but are scheduled to drop back down into the high 50’s and low 60’s for this week with a little bit of rain tomorrow.  Today is starting cool, but will get to about 70 so I’m in layers; Levis, short sleeved t-shirt and hoodie to shed later with POPS.  I just love POPS at this time of year.  The broken in ones are like being barefoot while still being warm 😀

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Breakfasts still aren’t very exciting, but at least they allow for better lunches and dinners 😀  Today is the exciting hot water, banana and string cheese combo.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

  • LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… Need to do some serious touch up cleaning
  • YARD… Got the rest of the garden pulled out and covered in black plastic for the winter.  I’m sure we have one very pissed off Opossum family 😀
  • APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… Hubby has a VA appointment later this week and I’m getting my nails done mid week, but other than that just some errands and grocery shopping.
  • BLOG… I’ve been doing BLOGMAS consistently for many years now and really enjoy it as a way to stay in touch with the season.  I’ve been working on a list for this year’s BLOGMAS 2019 series and pending any better suggestions this is what I’m thinking.  I really hope you’ll join me again this year.
  • CRAFTS/PROJECTS… I’m making some testers of these this week that I found over at Salvage Sister & Mister. Next weekend my friend Heather and I along with the munchkins will make some pumpkin families 😀

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED I’m still sorting through the new shows, but I like quite a few of them.  So many of my favorites have been killing off favorite characters though which I know is their way of spicing things up, but I’m still not sure I like it! I do like Ziva being back on NCIS even though I don’t like how harsh they have made her. 😀 There are still a few more new shows that start this week.

ON MY MIND / THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY My mom is doing much better (probably 80%) from her go round with pneumonia, but my stepdad is still in the hospital (8 days so far). Hopefully he will be moved to rehab today to get his strength back so he can come home.  They both had their pneumonia shots and still got it!  It’s going to take some time to get their energy back and we’re hopeful that is numbers are better soon and he finally gets out of the hospital.

I’M READING I finished my last book and my paperwhite died almost immediately after so I’ve yet to start a new book while I wait for the new one to arrive tomorrow 🙁  I was pleasantly surprised when Amazon offered a great trade in price along with a significant discount on the new purchase.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

Had a GREAT day yesterday with my munchkins playing games (Mario Monopoly and Clue) and doing crafts!

I don’t understand why the opossum only eat part of the tomatoes and then move on to another tomato.  It was also interesting that they left this pile of peelings off to the side.  I suppose because of our recent cold and the tomatoes staying so green the peelings are more bitter?

INSPIRATION & A FUNNY

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY – HARVEST PORK CHOPS, PURPLE ASPARAGUS & TOMATOES
TUESDAY – TAMALE BUNDT PIE & SALAD with TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE
WEDNESDAY – CRANBERRY PINEAPPLE MEATBALLS with COLESLAW
THURSDAY – CHICKEN with BASIL AIOLI, BROCCOLI and SALAD with PICKLED BEETS
FRIDAY – ORANGE GINGER CHICKEN, RICE PILAF and BRUSSELS SPROUTS
SATURDAY – C.O.R.N.
SUNDAY – C.O.R.N.

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

CHOPPED STEAKS

These are super quick and deliciously flavorful making them great for weeknight dinners!!

CHOPPED STEAKS
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
avocado oil

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Combine everything except the meat until well blended.
  • Add the meat and mix well.
  • Shape into 4 patties.
  • Heat oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add patties and sear until browned.
  • Flip and move pan to the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  • Transfer steaks to platter and tent with foil.

GRAVY
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup minced Italian Parsley
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
2 cups beef broth

  • Add butter to the pan you cooked the steaks in.
  • When butter is melted add shallots and mushrooms, sauteing 8-10 minutes.
  • Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir well.
  • Add broth and blend well.
  • Cook 3-5 minutes until desired thickness.

NOTE:

  • Hubby hates mushrooms. So, many times I omit the mushrooms and double the shallots or add green onions and it tastes just as great!
  • If gravy doesn’t thicken as much as you would like, add a small amount of cornstarch slurry.

COUNTRY CHICKEN & GRAVY

COUNTRY CHICKEN & GRAVY

1/2 cup all purpose flour
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup baby carrots
3 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
1/2 cup heavy cream
chopped Italian Parsley for garnish
Prepared mashed potatoes

  • Combine flour, salt, paprika and pepper in a large Ziploc bag.
  • Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture and reserve flour mixture for later.
  • In a deep skillet melt butter over medium heat.
  • Add chicken and cook 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned.
  • Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • Add onion and celery to pan, sautéing 2 minutes.
  • Add remaining flour to pan and whisk until all flour is absorbed.
  • Add chicken broth, stirring well.
  • Add chicken, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until cooked through and fragrant.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Stir in cream and cook 2 minutes.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes.
  • Garnish with parsley.

TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

1 cup tarragon vinegar
1 cup avocado oil
1 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon FRESH minced thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons FRESH minced tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sugar

  • Combine ALL ingredients and blend well.
  • Refrigerate.
  • Shake well before using.

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI COBBLER

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI COBBLER yields 4 servings
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups cubed sourdough or Brioche bread
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cups SMALL broccoli florets
3 cups torn rotisserie chicken
scant 1/3 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 1/4 cups Alfredo sauce (homemade, fresh deli or jarred)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cream sherry

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Lightly grease baking dish or ramekins. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl drizzle butter over bread cubes and toss well.  Reserve 1 cup to top casserole with.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and toss again.
  • Whisk together the Alfredo sauce, sour cream and cream sherry.
  • In another bowl toss together the broccoli, chicken, bell pepper, onions and sour cream mixture.
  • Add half of the bread cube mixture to the broccoli mixture and toss well.
  • Spoon broccoli filling into baking dish or ramekins.
  • Top with remaining bread cubes.
  • Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and toasted.

NOTE:  If using a rotisserie chicken I salvage the juices from the bottom to incorporate with the melted butter to add flavor to the bread cubes.

GRILLED BBQ BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN WINGS

GRILLED BBQ BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN WINGS

3 dozen chicken drumettes
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
36 slices bacon, cut down to 3/4 strips – save 1/4 ends for another dish or salad
1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle)
3 tablespoons pineapple juice
36 toothpicks
Lime wedges for serving.

  • Soak toothpicks in pineapple juice for 20 minutes.
  • Prepare grill for indirect heat.
  • Pat chicken dry.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper.
  • Wrap each piece with a bacon slice and secure with a soaked toothpick.
  • Oil grill grates.
  • Grill drumettes over direct heat 4-6 minutes until bacon is lightly browned. Turn frequently so as to brown evenly.
  • Move chicken to cold side of grill, cover and cook 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Baste several times during last 5 minutes.
  • Serve with lime edges.