Category: BLOG 366

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

OVEN BAKED CORN on the COB ~ BLOG 366.243

Tyler Florence has said more than once that you will never go back to boiling once you try oven roasted corn on the cob, but I had never gotten around to trying it until now! Boy am I sorry I waited so long to try it! The corn steams and bakes in its own husk leaving only tender flavor packed bites. The silks will peel right off with the husk. You can use the husk as a handle for backyard BBQs or cut it off for a civilized indoor dinner 😀

OVEN BAKED CORN on the COB

4-6 ears corn on the cob in their husks

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Gently pull back husks and rinse ears.
  • Lightly rub butter all over corn,
  • Sprinkle with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
  • Fold husk back into place.
  • Place corn cobs on large baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes based on cob size.
  • Remove corn cobs.
  • Pull back husks and enjoy!

SALISBURY STEAK with TOMATO ONION GRAVY ~ BLOG 366.242

SALISBURY STEAK with TOMATO ONION GRAVY
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
10 1/2 ounce can undiluted tomato soup
1/2 cup FINELY ground bread crumbs
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 LARGE shallot, diced
1 1/2 pounds QUALITY ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon WONDRA
1/4 cup (jalapeno) ketchup – see note
1/4 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard – optional
Hot buttered noodles or mashed potatoes

  • In a large bowl stir together the egg, bread crumbs and 1/3 cup of the soup.
  • Season well with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add ground beef and mix gently.
  • Form 6 round or oval patties.
  • In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.
  • Add beef patties searing 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
  • Add shallots, sauteing 1-2 minutes.
  • Whisk together the water and WONDRA.
  • Add to skillet with the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, remaining soup and mustard if using. Stir regularly bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat, add beef patties to pan, turning to coat.
  • Cover and simmer 10 minutes until cooked through and gravy is desired consistency.
  • Serve over buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

NOTE: We like the jalapeno ketchup for the extra kick, but plain works great too!