Author: QuiltLady

ROAST CHICKEN with LEMON HERB SAUCE ~ BLOG 366.256

ROAST CHICKEN
4 tablespoons butter, divided & softened
1 whole chicken cut into pieces (see notes)
1 1/4 cups hot water
2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

LEMON HERB SAUCE
1 teaspoon avocado oil
1 -2 LARGE green onions, FINELY chopped
Juice from 1 LARGE lemon
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped Lemon thyme
1 teaspoon FRESH chopped basil
1 teaspoon WONDRA
1 tablespoon butter

  • Rinse chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and when HOT, place chicken skin side down in pan.
  • DO NOT TURN chicken pieces until you see blood and bottom side is golden brown.
  • Whisk together the hot water, bouillon, thyme and basil.
  • Turn chicken and add 3/4 cup of chicken stock.
  • Reduce heat and simmer on low 15 minutes.
  • Transfer chicken to a plate and pour stock into a measuring cup.
  • Melt remaining butter in skillet and return chicken skin side down to skillet and cook another 5 minutes until skin is crisp.
  • Transfer to an ovenproof plate, cover with foil and keep warm.
  • Skim the fat from the broth and add enough of the additional broth to make 3/4 cup.
  • Heat the olive oil in the skillet on a low heat, scraping up any of the little pieces from the chicken to add to the flavor.
  • Add green onions and saute’ a minute or so.
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Increase heat and add broth and bring to a simmer.
  • Simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
  • Stir in any juices that have drained from the chicken. Simmer a few more minutes.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice, thyme and basil.
  • Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately. I like to serve it with rice.

NOTES:

  • If using boneless, skinless chicken, season it well and dredge prior to adding it to the skillet. Adjust timing if using boneless, skinless chicken.

Originally posted 10-22-2008, updated 7-28-2014 and again September 2024

CHICKEN & TOMATO PASTA ~ BLOG 366.254

CHICKEN & TOMATO PASTA

2 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 SMALL Vidalia onion, halved and sliced thin
1 can San Marzano tomatoes DO NOT DRAIN
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, to taste
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 pound (1 3/4 cups) uncooked macaroni pasta
1 tablespoon butter
FRESH grated Parmesan cheese for serving

  • Combine tomatoes and their juice with the chicken pieces and broth in a dutch oven.
  • Season with FRESH ground sea salt, black pepper and chili flakes to taste.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Add pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes until pasta is tender, but not over cooked.
  • Remove from heat and stir in ricotta cheese and butter.
  • Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 36 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.253

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

Good morning friends. Can you believe a week of September is already over? Sure seems like it was just August! Come on in, pour yourself a cup of my butterscotch fall coffee and let’s have a chat.

We started the weekend on Thursday night this week having dinner with a friend on another friend’s deck. She and I both have September birthdays and have agreed that at this age we get to celebrate ALL month so we take every opportunity to celebrate. She is also a WONDERFUL guinea pig letting me try new recipes on her. We celebrated the end of summer with wonderful Tequila Rose Fizzes, “elegant” pigs in a blanket and lemon blueberry crinkle cake. I had never heard of crinkle cake until a recent Master Chef episode and found it is all the TikTok rage, but I don’t TikTok either. 😂 I did make it my own though and we all thought it was really tasty!

Friday was errand day and then a fundraiser dinner a friend was cooking for.

Saturday was a lazy morning and then we met some friends for drinks in the afternoon. I made some delicious Black Bean Salsa chicken in my new NINJA Foodi PRO – I’m really loving my new toy.

Sunday was also a lazy morning (we’ve been spending less time outside with the smokey air) followed by lunch with a friend who had been on vacation. I did some organizing in the afternoon and of course this was the first full football weekend. 😀 I hope your team won. Congratulations Jean – it was a great game. And sorry Carrie – I hope next week is better in celebration of your wedding and my birthday. I always root for the Dolphins AND the Lions because they have had such tough seasons in recent years, but they BOTH won and looked pretty good! Sorry to hubby though who is a Rams fan.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We had a few recent days of heat advisories, but fall appears to be arriving here in the Pacific North West and that is making this girl EXTREMELY happy. Highs this week in the 70’s and low’s in the 50’s will be just perfect!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have a couple loads of laundry to do and will be deep cleaning our bedroom on Friday I think.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a meat box arriving later this week that I’ll need to be home for and I’ll do most the grocery shopping later this morning. My plan is to be home for my birthday weekend (this upcoming weekend) baking and cooking whatever I want 😀 so I’m getting all the “chores” done early this week.
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS No BIG projects this week.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m working on a fall menu full of stews, soups, chilis and casseroles, but taking things one week at a time right now.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’ve been binge watching FRINGE
  • CABLE I’m looking forward to the new season of shows beginning in a couple weeks.

READING TIME

I FINALLY found time this last week to read and am hoping to finish Gill Paul’s The Collector’s Daughter.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt to get my system kick started 😀
9/9 MONDAY
9/10 TUESDAY
9/11 WEDNESDAY
9/12 THURSDAY
9/13 FRIDAY
9/14 SATURDAY
 9/15 SUNDAY
DINNER
 SANDRA’S CRAZY PIZZA BREAD
 ORANGE CHICKEN and RICE
BUTTERMILK RANCH PORK CHOPS and POTATOES
OUT WITH FRIENDS to FNB
 GRILLED STEAKS and JACKET POTATOES
 not sure yet
 HUBS IS COOKING FOR MY BIRTHDAY
DESSERT
 
 
 
BOSTON CREAM PIE CUPCAKES

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I finished house sitting last night, but not before getting a few more pictures of life overlooking the pond 😀 I will miss the view, but I also found it quite noisy. They’ve been developing the pond are and the traffic have taken much of the serenity out of the view at times.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN PASTA SALAD ~ BLOG 366.250

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta Salad is perfect for backyard BBQ’s, potlucks or as a serve yourself side to a charcuterie board night.

BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN PASTA SALAD adapted from CAFE DELITES who adapted it from her single serve version
1 pound spaghetti
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped basil
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder

FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon + 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1/4 cup red onion FINELY chopped
2-3 tablespoons QUALITY balsamic vinegar, to taste
8 roma tomatoes, diced
½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus more to serve
2 tablespoons each FRESH basil, Italian parsley and oregano, FINELY chopped
3-4 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 drizzle balsamic glaze to serve, optional – I use store bought

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; Drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with oil; toss and set aside.
  • 
Season chicken with the dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon of oil on in a grill pan or skillet, and sear chicken breasts 5-6 per side over medium-high heat until browned on both sides and cooked through.
  • Remove from pan; set aside and allow to rest.
  • Add the remaining oil to the same hot skillet.
  • Sauté the garlic and red onion 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
  • Turn off heat. 

  • Add in the tomatoes, toss them lightly into the mixture to warm them through and combine all of the flavors.
  • Add the tomato mixture onto the pasta. 
Mix in the vinegar, Parmesan cheese, basil and parsley.
  • Season with FRESH ground salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Slice the chicken and add to pasta.
  • Toss the pasta with all of the ingredients until well combined.

  • Top with more Parmesan cheese and serve immediately with balsamic glaze, OR refrigerate up to an hour before serving.


NOTES:

  • I prefer FRESH copped herbs, but dried work also. Substitute 1-2 teaspoons, to taste.
  • Salad can be served warm – heated through in the same pan as the oil tomato mixture.

SMOTHERED POTATOES ~ BLOG 366.249

This is one of those recipes I found written on a scrap piece of paper in the bottom of an antique recipe box. Whoever wrote it had written a side note saying it was excellent.

 

SMOTHERED POTATOES

2 extra large russet potatoes,baked, cooled and sliced
3-4 strips bacon, diced, cooked crisp, reserve rendered fat
1 LARGE shallot, diced
1/2-1 SMALL red pepper, diced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • In the same pan you cooked the bacon, add shallot pieces, cooking 1 minute.
  • Add red pepper pieces, cooking until peppers are softened.
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Layer potatoes in baking dish, seasoning with FRESH ground sea salt, black pepper and paprika.
  • Sprinkle with bacon pieces and cheese.
  • Bake 10 minutes until heated through.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SLOPPY JOES ~ BLOG 366.247

BUFFALO CHICKEN SLOPPY JOES SANDWICHES
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 1/2 -2 pounds ground chicken
3/4 cup Frank’s original Buffalo wing sauce
3/4 cup homemade Jalapeno ranch dressing
1 carrot FINELY diced
2 celery stalks FINELY diced
1 SMALL Vidalia onion FINELY diced
1/4 – 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • Heat oil in a large skillet.
  • Add chicken and brown until crumbly.
  • Add onions, celery, carrots and cook 3-5 minutes more.
  • Whisk together the wing sauce, brown sugar and Jalapeno ranch until smooth.
  • Add to chicken mixture, stirring and cooking10-15 until heated through.
  • Adjust seasoning, adding more brown sugar as needed to adjust heat level.

NOTE:

  • If sauce is too thin, spoon out a bit of sauce and whisk with cornstarch to thicken. Stir mixture back into sauce and cook to desired consistency.
  • Bleu cheese dressing is a good substitute for the ranch.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS & RECIPE LINKS week 35 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.246

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

It’s official. We’re in the “BER months and I couldn’t be happier! I think they are my favorite months of the year along with January, February and March 😀 😂 🤣 In other words I’m just not fond of June through August.

It was a fairly quiet weekend, especially for a holiday one. I went to the farmer’s market and grocery shopping on Saturday morning and then made some Bolegnese sauce with veggies and tomatoes from the garden and even got some laundry done also. Saturday night we watched a couple movies. I’ve also been house sitting and feeding our neighbor’s cat as well as watering their plants so that took a bit of time in the evening.

Sunday was much of the same except that the weather was so much nicer!!!!! Saturday had been quite warm with a nice breeze in the evening, but Sunday was beautiful from start to finish!

Now let’s get this new week started! We have friends coming for BBQ ribs, coleslaw and watermelon later and I need to get the homemade sauce started. 😀

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

This week should be a carbon copy of last week with highs in the 80’s and low’s in the 50’s – pretty dang perfect in my book!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING all done 🙂
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS also all done – at least until the end of the week. And I have no appointments this week for a change.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m still working on some fall themed recipes for my new NINJA cooker.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX Watched a few movies – some REALLY good and others quite questionable to have been on a decent streaming channel. We also started watching YELLOWJACKETS (very LOOSELY based on the 1972 plane crash in the Andes Mountains) at the suggestion of a friend. It’s interesting, a bit graphic and gross at times, but intriguing enough I want to see where they go with it.
  • CABLE I was able to get caught up on Masterchef and some old movies in the DVR.

READING TIME

I’m reading Gill Paul’s The Collector’s Daughter, but keep falling asleep too fast. I’m anxious to read more of this book read because I’m enjoying it so much.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY 9/2
9/3 TUESDAY
9/4 WEDNESDAY
9/5 THURSDAY
 FRIDAY 9/6
9/7 SATURDAY
9/8 SUNDAY
DINNER
ALOHA RIBS, COLESLAW, WATERMELON
 PORK CAKE, GREEN BEANS and SALAD
HAM BALLS & BAKED BEANS
 BLACK BEAN SALSA CHICKEN and SALAD
 ORANGE CHICKEN, RICE & SALAD
BUTTERMILK RANCH PORK CHOPS & POTATOES
 CORN/YOYO clean out the refrigerator night or you’re on your own
DESSERT
 
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I’ve been house sitting and feeding my neighbor’s cat as well as watering their plants. The back deck has been really pleasant of an evening and I caught this guy fluttering around the bird feeder in the sunset.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

MUSTARD MAYBE, Q-TIPS NEVER, TECHNOLOGY BITES ME IN THE BUTT, SERVICE DOGS & ENTITLEMENT ATTITUDE ~ BLOG 355.245B

I originally began this meme back in 2008 and this particular post was 12 years ago on this day in 2012. It came up in my Facebook memories this morning and as I read through it, I realized just how true it STILL is today on all levels (for me especially now that it’s been 5 MORE surgeries since then) so I decided to update the post and rerun it for fun!

It must be the blue moon (2012) this month, but everywhere I look, people are grumpier, ruder and downright ignorant, everyone but my dogs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But damn if people aren’t trying their damnedest to push all my buttons this month! One woman in particular parked her cart sideways in the middle of the already too narrow aisle and proceeded to walk up and down the aisle selecting multiple items to bring back to her cart and DAMN if she wasn’t the loudest and most obnoxious woman I’ve ever met when I scooted her cart to the side so I and several others could get by her. Another man was cutting all the corners on the aisles and ending up head on with all the shoppers who were acting as if people were going in 2 directions.

Then, there’s the woman with 3 chihuahuas in a zippered stroller who claims they are service dogs and allowed into the grocery store. She was neither blind, deaf or disabled. The dogs by her own account are just so “cute” and couldn’t be left in the hot car while she grocery shopped.  HELLO?  Why not just leave them home?

Then there was the clerk at Best Buy who did his best to make me look like a fool and called me a liar when I asked for a specific part when my car alarm remote took a dump. He continually argued that what I was trying to explain to him had never been available and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. No wonder Best Buy is in so much financial trouble. He said the only way to fix it was put in a new alarm and that it wasn’t possible to get a new remote for an existing alarm – what an idiot. I did speak with the general manager, but then took my business to the mom and pop business further down the street.

Last month I bought Q-tips at Target, house brand that were on sale for an incredible price. Now I know why. Very little cotton on the ends and the sticks break easily. Items like this really are better brand name while mustard according to hubby is fine house brand.

And once again what’s up with checkers at Walmart who would ONLY speak Spanish? HELLO? We are in America, I’m paying with American money and expect to be spoken to in English. And don’t even get me started on “entitlement attitude” of teenagers in particular, but others too.

Now that rant aside, I am beginning to feel like a real human being again. 2 major surgeries and treatments (ovarian cancer and stomach reconstruction) in less than a year and a half has taken a serious toll on my energy and strength. This last surgery in particular has messed with my favorite foods. So, I’m really happy to be able to cook again even if hubby is the only one who gets the spicy flavorful parts.  I promise to get back to serious blogging soon!

 ORIGINALLY POST SEPTEMBER 1, 2012