ALWAYS EAT ON THE GOOD CHINA – Page 7 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads Me

Giving Thanks ~ Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing

Hi everyone, Tamy here filling in for Chris today. My recipe is not from the grill, but I thought it was appropriate for so near Thanksgiving.

Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing
1 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4 cloves garlic, minced

Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
Chop all the vegetables.
In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
Add the melted butter.
In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
Fold entire mixture into at least a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake uncovered 1 hour.
At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
When it’s time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

You can find me at my home blogs 3 Sides of Crazy. Always Eat On The Good China, on Saturdays at THE Motivation Station on Sundays here at OUR KrAzY kitchen.

TOASTED ONION SALISBURY STEAK SLIDERS & BONUS HOMEMADE ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE

I made this recipe last week when I was trying to clean out the pantry and the fridge and was quite pleased with the results. I never hesitate to experiment and/or substitute what I have on hand for what a recipe traditionally calls for. We are usually (99% of the time) quite happy with the change up of ingredients.

TOASTED ONION SALISBURY STEAK SLIDERS
2 small flour tortillas, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 package Laura Scudders toasted onion dip
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons flour

Pour milk over tortillas and let sit for an hour.
With your hands mix ground round and onion dip mix together and let sit for an hour in fridge.
Mix together the tortilla mixture and the beef mixture until uniform in consistency.
Hand form 6 small steaks.
In a large skillet, melt butter.
When sizzling, add onions and pepper and saute’ until caramelized.
Lower heat slightly. Arrange onions around the outside of the skillet and add steaks. Turn regularly until brown all over and cooked through.
In a saute’ pan, bring broth to a simmer.
Sprinkle flour into broth while constantly whisking until slightly thickens.
Lower heat, transfer steaks into broth mixture and top with onion mixture.
Serve over mashed potatoes.

Since Thanksgiving is so close and Linda did a wonderful apple cranberry sauce yesterday, I thought I would share how very easy it is to make homemade cranberry sauce.

CRANBERRY SAUCE
1/2 cup orange juice with pulp*
1/2 cup pineapple juice*
1 bag cranberries
2 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange peel

Wash cranberries and drain in colander. Mix orange juice and sugar in saucepan until dissolved. Add cinnamon and orange peel. Stir well, Add the cranberries and simmer over medium high heat until bubbling, stirring often. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes uncovered or until all cranberries have ’popped’. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for future holidays.

Yields: 2 cups
*You can use ALL orange juice if you prefer

***I like to make a double batch at Thanksgiving and freeze half for Christmas.

SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE

Hi everyone, Tamy here filling in for Dave. 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 covering today for Dave. I made this a while back for Magazines Mondays. The guys loved it and it’s perfect for Dave’s theme, I CAN COOK THAT!

I really intended to stick with this recipe as it was written, really I did! But, as I read it more closely I felt some changes coming on. You know that feeling you get when you realize hubby won’t like ingredient 5 or your son would hate ingredient x, etc… The more I messed with the recipe the further it got from what the intended.

So here is their recipe as written:

BLEND IN THE BAYOU

8 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 – 6 ounce cans crabmeat, drained and flaked

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared

4 1/2 ounce jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 teaspoon garlic salt

3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers

In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in remaining butter until tender.
Stir in the shrimp, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, garlic salt, pepper sauce, cayenne and cream cheese mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
Combine crackers crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over top.
Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly.

and here is the new recipe as made and enjoyed and savored as the plates were licked clean!

SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE
inspired by Taste of Home’s Blend in the Bayou

8 ounces cream cheese

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large bunch green onions, chopped

4 large mushrooms, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 – 8 ounce package crabmeat, chopped & flaked

2 – 6 ounce cans white albacore tuna, drained and flaked

1 can cream of celery soup

3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese

1/2 sleeve crushed butter-flavored crackers ( I used Keebler herb and butter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese, soup and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
Stir in the tuna, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, salt, pepper sauce, chili powder and cream cheese mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
Sprinkle crackers over top.
Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

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!

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 batch Bleu Cheese Dressing

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!

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.

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.

HOMEMADE DING DONGS, HO~HO’S or what we like to call CHOCOLATE HEAVENS

3 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Jumbo eggs
1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup apple juice

2 teaspoons orange juice
2 cups flour

1 jar marshmallow cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 bag milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Generously grease a 9×13 pan.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Then add 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon and 1/2 cup of the apple juice, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cool.
Mix the baking soda into 2 teaspoons of orange juice.
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter with 1 cup sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Alternate the milk and flour, sifting the flour into the cream mixture and blend until smooth.
Add the baking soda mixture and blend well.
Add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend well.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Level pan by dropping on counter top to remove air bubbles.
Bake until springy 55-60 minutes.
Cool thoroughly and then invert onto platter.
Cut into desired shapes and sizes.
Slice each in half.
Spread marshmallow cream over bottom half and replace tops.
In a small sauce pan melt chocolate.
Whisk in heavy cream and heat until thickened.
Pour over tops of cakes.
Cool.

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.

Category: ALWAYS EAT ON THE GOOD CHINA