Outback's Alice Springs Chicken #23

I've eaten at Outback many times, but I've never had Alice Springs Chicken.  I found this recipe on food.com, and since I love the combination of chicken, mushrooms, and bacon and love honey mustard, I had to give it a try.

The case:
Ingredients
1 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 slices bacon, cooked
3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. With an electric mixer combine the mustard, honey, and 1 Tbsp oil, and lemon juice for 1 minute.
2. Pour 1/2 mixture over chicken in a gallon ziplock to marinate in fridge 2-24 hours.  Chill remaining marinade to serve with chicken.
3. After marinating chicken, preheat oven to 375°F Put remaining oil in frying pan. Heat and sear chicken on both sides.  Cook until chicken is cooked throughout.
4. Transfer chicken to oven safe pan and brush with marinade.
5. Meanwhile in frying pan add butter and saute mushrooms.
6. Season chicken breasts with salt and peppers.
7. Stack bacon across each breast, spoon mushrooms on each breast and then approx 1/3- 1/2 cup cheese on each.
8. Cover dish with foil and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

The ruling:
I don't know if I can come up with a word that truly describes how much I loved this chicken.  The sauce poured over it is the kicker.  This chicken would be really good cooked on the grill instead of the stove top.  Now, I want to go to Outback so I can compare the two!

Memorial Day Meal 2- El Pollo Loco Creamy Cilantro Dressing #22

Michael decided to smoke Pioneer Woman's Spicy Pork Butt for dinner on Memorial Day.  I wanted to add something a little different to go with it.  Originally I was looking for a side dish, but I came upon this dressing that I thought would go perfectly with the spicy pork.  This recipe came for Todd Wilbur's More Super Secret Restaurant Recipes.  Love his recipes!

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 4 teaspoons finely minced cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon finely minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Cover and chill.

Ruling:
This sauce is delicious.  It reminds me of the creamy jalapeno sauce at Chuy', but with different flavors.  This would be wonderful on all sorts of things!

Memorial Day 2011- Broiled Blue Cheese Tomatoes #21

This Memorial day also happened to be my Mom's birthday.  Michael and I had my family over to eat.  We made several of our old favorites including marinated grilled chicken and Alton Brown's Mac and Cheese, but you know I had to make a new recipe as well.  This was featured on Paula Deen's show lately.  I immediately saved it to my recipe box and am happy to be making this delicious sounding combination.

The case:
Ingredients

• 1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed
• 1 (5-ounce) container crumbled blue cheese 
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled 
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions 
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted 
• 3 large tomatoes, cut in half crosswise 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, blue cheese, bacon, and green onions. Add the butter, stirring to mix well. 
3. Place the tomatoes, cut sides up, on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tomato halves evenly with the salt and pepper. Divide the cracker mixture evenly among the tomato halves. 
4. Broil 5 inches from the heat with the oven door cracked open until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. 

The ruling:
Delicious! Paula has another winner.  I could eat these as my meal alone!  I think this combination of ingredients would be wonderful in a stuffed chicken breast.  I'll have to try that soon!

Chicken, Bacon, and Mushroom Casserole #20

In an effort to save money, I'm trying to use ingredients we already have and buying as little as possible.  This recipe is the result of a couple of different recipes.  I used the ingredients I had and also what I thought would taste best.  I'm putting what I did to make it easier.

The case:
Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1-3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 4-5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Layer chicken, mushrooms, and bacon on bottom of 8x8 casserole dish.  
3. Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Add garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half and Parmesan cheese.  Cook over medium low until combined.  Pour mixture over chicken.
4. Sprinkle mozzarella and Panko breadcrumbs over sauce and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Ruling:
This is officially my favorite dish I've made this year.  Not only will this be a regular here, it will be an often!  It has the simplicity of an easy casserole, but the mushroom soup combined with fresh ingredients makes this much more elegant and tasty.

Pasta with Mascarpone, Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Spinach #19

Michael loves Mascarpone cheese and I'm always on the lookout for recipes with Mascarpone. 

The case:

1 Cup Mascarpone Cheese At Room Temperature

Zest & Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, Cleaned Of Fat And Cut Into 1 Inch Dice

1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Minced

Salt & Pepper

1/3 Cup Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1 (9 Ounce) Bag Baby Spinach 

1 (500 Gram) Package Pasta

To Serve:

Sauteed Garlic Breadcrumbs or

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano/ Pecorino Cheese

Combine the zest, lemon juice, mascarpone, and pepper in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Bring a pasta pot of salted water to boil. While waiting on the water, heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the chicken until it is cooked through and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the pasta until al dente, taking it off the heat about 1 to 2 minutes before you would normally remove it. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot, and set over medium heat. Stir in the mascarpone and lemon mixture, the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Loosen the sauce with about 1/4 cup of the water and toss all over the ingredients together until the spinach has wilted and everything is piping hot, adding a little additional pasta water if needed. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese or sauteed breadcrumbs.

 

The ruling: 
This way okay, but nothing special.  I liked the sauce more than I liked the rest of the ingredients with the sauce.  I won't be making this again.  

Bacon and Brie Quiche #18

Pioneer Woman posted this recipe recently.  It came from the Tasty Kitchen Blog.

The case:
Ingredients
1 package Deep Dish Pie Crust, Pre-baked If Instructed
4 ounces, weight Brie Cheese (rind Removed If Preferred)
4 ounces, weight Swiss Cheese, Diced
10 slices Bacon, Cooked Crisp, Drained, Crumbled
6 whole Large Eggs
½ cups Whipping Cream
½ cups Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 dash Each Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper

Preparation Instructions
Crumble cheeses in the bottom of the pie. Spread crumbled bacon on top. Mix all remaining ingredients thoroughly and pour into the pie pan.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 45 minutes, until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.

The ruling:
 This was good, but I feel like it is missing something.  It's too eggy, and I love eggs.  It needs more meat or mushrooms or something...

Buttermilk Chicken Thighs #17

I'm just now learning about the advantages of using chicken thighs.  Apparently, chicken thighs have really good meat.  For some reason, I've always been a breast girl, but I'm learning that isn't the most flavorful way.  I have a lot of buttermilk in my fridge and have been looking for ways to use it before it goes bad.... which is tomorrow.  I got it right before all the tornado storms and my plans got a little messed up.  This came from Kittencal on food.com.  I love her recipes, so I'm eager to try this.

The case:
Ingredients
6 tablespoons cubed cold butter
6 bone-in chicken thighs ( or you may use as many that will fit into the baking dish)
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ( can use more)
SAUCE
1 cup buttermilk
1 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup, untiluted
1 teaspoon garlic powder ( can use less)
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ( or to taste)
1 pinch cayenne, pepper ( or adjust to suit heat level)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Set oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Set oven rack to lowest position.
3. Spray an 11 x 7 or a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Place the cubed butter in the baking dish and melt in the oven until hot and bubbly (about 8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile place 3/4 cup buttermilk into a shallow bowl.
6. In another shallow bowl combine the flour with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt.
7. Firstly coat the chicken in buttermilk (allowing excess to drip off) then coat 1 pieces of chicken at a time into the flour mixture.
8. Place the chicken into the hot baking dish skin side down in the pan.
9. Bake (425 degrees F) for 20 minutes.
10. Turn the chicken over and continue to bake for another 10 minutes more.
11. Meanwhile for the sauce; in a bowl mix 1 cup buttermilk with the cream of mushroom soup 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper until smooth, then mix in 3/4 cup cheddar cheese.
12. Pour over and around the chicken then place back in the oven and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
13. Sprinkle the top with remaining 1/2 cup (or more) cheddar cheese and allow to melt.

The ruling:
I made the recipe according to the directions and served in over egg noodles with lots of the buttery sauce.  It was extremely good!  Michael couldn't get enough.  This will be a regular at our house!

Mushrooms au Gratin #16

This is another one of Kittencal's recipes from Food.com.  I love mushrooms and I love all these ingredients by themselves, but I'm not sure how they're going to turn out together.  The recipe has great reviews so I'm going to give it a whirl!

The case:
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter ( 4 tablespoons)
• 2 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced ( optional or adjust to taste, I most always add in) 
• 2/3 cup sour cream 
• salt and pepper ( I use seasoned salt) 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ( or to taste, Swiss also works well)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease a shallow baking dish.
3. In a medium skillet saute the sliced mushrooms with butter over medium-high heat (if using garlic add in with the mushrooms).
4. In a small bowl, blend together sour cream, salt, pepper and flour.
5. Add mixture to the mushrooms in the pan.
6. Heat until JUST beginning to boil.
7. Transfer to a baking dish.
8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and cheese.
9. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

The ruling:
I loved this!  Now I love mushrooms, if you're not a mushroom fan, you probably won't like this.  It's very mushroomy.  I used portabellas and added a few dashes of soy sauce to the butter to flavor the mushrooms.  I will make this again.

Whatever Floats Your Boat Brownies #16

Even though I'm not a big chocolate eater, I love brownies.  These come from food.com.  They were on the list as a bonus recipe of the top 100 recipes of the year.  Not sure if that means they were #11 or what, but needless to say, that is how I found them.  I've never tried making homemade brownies before.  So, I'm excited to try these.  I've really been craving sweets lately, which is shocking for those who know me.  I'm much more of a salty/appetizer loving gal.  I guess it's this pregnancy thing.  I'm not complaining though, there are much worse side effects. :)

The case:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1/2 cup flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT: 1 -2 cup chocolate chips (semisweet, white, butterscotch, peanut butter) or 1 -2 cup raisins or 1 -2 cup chopped maraschino cherries or 1 -2 cup choppednuts or 1 -2 cup M&M's or 1 -2 cup Reese's pieces or 1 -2 cup miniature marshmallow

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease an 8 inch square pan or line with foil.
3. In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved.
4. Add sugar and mix well.
5. Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
6. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix).
7. Fold in "WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT
8. Spread in pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. DO NOT OVER-BAKE -- your brownies will come out dry. Adjust time/temp accordingly for your oven. If you do the knife/toothpick test, it should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
9. Cool completely before cutting into squares.  For double recipe, bake in 9x12 pan and add 5 minutes to baking time.

The ruling:
For my first whatever floats your boat try, I used 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips.  And yes there will be a 2nd try because these brownies are Super Fantastic!  I had to bake them about 28 minutes and they came out perfectly.  There is no more reason to buy the boxes.  One of the greatest things about this recipe (besides the taste obviously) is I always have all the ingredients at home.  I bought Andes mint chips around Christmas time and never made anything with them.  I'll be trying them in these brownies within the next few days!

No Yeast Pizza Dough and Exquisite Pizza Sauce #14 & #15

I am absolutely determined to learn how to make a good homemade pizza- both sauce and crust.  This is my first try at both.  The pizza dough is from cooks.com.  I obviously need to buy some yeast because it was almost impossible for me to find a pizza crust recipe without it.  The sauce is from Allrecipes.  It isn't exactly completely homemade but it isn't out of a jar either.   

The case for Pizza Dough:

2 1/2 c. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder (if using baking soda use half and omit salt)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
3/4 to 1 c. water

Mix dry ingredients. add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.The dough will be soft, not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 minutes.
Bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes.

The case for Pizza Sauce:

Ingredients
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

The results:
Obviously I need to get some yeast because this crust wasn't anything to brag about.  It wasn't horrible, but I wouldn't want to eat it again.  Now the sauce was a different story.  It was hard for me to really tell since I had such issues with the crust, but I always have all the ingredients in my pantry to make this.  I will definitely use it again.

Easy Baked Potato Wedges #13

I love french fries.  I made some delicious fried french fries right after Michael and I got married.  They had a batter and everything.  Not only did they take forever, but I had the biggest mess ever!  And I haven't made them or another fry recipe since.  I came across these on Food.com.  They look easy and have to be healthier than the fried version.

The case:

Ingredients
4 large potatoes
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Wash potatoes, cut into wedges.
Place potatoes skin down in a baking dish.
Mix the next 6 ingredients together and brush onto potatoes.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

The ruling:
I love, love, love these.  I don't even really know why, but I couldn't stop eating them, especially have I started dipping them in ranch.  I cut these in more fry sized portions instead of into wedges.  I only cooked them about 50 minutes, broiling, watching carefully, for the last 5 minutes.  I will make these again and again and again! 

Lori's Awesome Cookies #12

Okay, I've pretty much given up with the monthly goals.  I just don't have time to organize all that these days.  I'm just going to post what I'm cooking!

I pretty much made these because of the name. :)

The case:
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coffee flavored liqueur
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugars using an electric mixer. Mix in the eggs, vanilla and coffee flavored liqueur.
Measure the oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until blended, then stir in the candy pieces. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to turn golden.

The ruling:
I thought these were okay, but Michael loved them.  The only problem I had was that I should have grinded up the oats better.  I will probably make these again.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff #11

Since we'll have a new addition to out family in April, I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have to cook, so I'm going to go ahead and work on my slow cooker recipes this month as well.

There are many versions of this recipe at AllRecipes.com.  They have many different titles and there are several ways to make it, but each one has lots of great reviews!  The ingredients sound a bit strange to me, but I have to trust thousands of people.

The case:

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1/8 cup margarine
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

Directions

1. Put chicken, margarine and dressing mix in slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
2. Add cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm.
3. Serve over your favorite rice or noodles.

The ruling:
I only used 3 chicken breasts and used butter instead of margarine, but followed the rest of the recipe exactly.  I thought the chicken to sauce ratio was perfect!  I served it over egg noodles, but any kind of pasta or rice would do.  This is so easy to make low fat- just use fat free or low fat ingredients.  I know some reviews said they throw everything in their Crock Pot in the morning, but if you do that you're going to lose the great flavor and consistency of the chicken.  Cubing the chicken and putting so little liquid in the Crock Pot not only makes it flavorful, but browns it just a bit like it was cooked on the stove or grilled.  30 minutes was the perfect amount of time for the cream of chicken and the cream cheese to become a perfect consistency.  I will be making this again and again!

Cinnamon Flop Brunch Cake #10

Yet another recipe from Kittencal.  This one like most of her others that I make came from food.com. I've included Kittencal's comments because they are always full of helpful hints.  I usually try to incorporate these into the recipe, but there were just too many this time.

The case:
Kittencal's Comments
"Except for the the milk and small amount in the egg, the cake itself has very little fat and using low-fat milk will keep the fat to a minimum, I have stated the egg as optional, I strongly suggest to add it in for a more cake-like texture -- If you are looking for a fancy cake to serve then this is not it however for the ease of this cake it is darn good and makes a great weekend brunch cake, it's like a combination of a cake and cinnamon bun all in one, ridiculously simple to make as it's all mixed by hand and takes like 5 minutes to throw together, try adding in some chopped strawberries, apples or blueberries, raisins or dried cranberries, this recipe is a blank canvas, so go ahead and add in fruit, nuts chocolate chips whatever you wish, and to kick this up a notch drizzle recipe#120835 on top :) --- servings are only estimated"

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar ( add in more for a sweeter taste)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 -2 teaspoon vanilla (optional) or 1 -2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 large egg

TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar ( can use more or less)
1 -2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
chopped walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)

Directions
1. Set oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans (although the batter will seem like it will fit into only one 8 or 9-inch pan, this flop rises very high and will run over the sides if baked in just one pan).
3. In a bowl mix the 2 cups flour, 1-1/4 cups white sugar, milk, vanilla or almond extract, baking powder, pinch of salt and egg (if using) until just combined careful not to overmix.
4. Pour into prepared baking pan/s.
5. Generously spread brown sugar and cinnamon on top.
6. If desired sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans over top.
7. Drizzle melted butter over top.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes for 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, and about 30 minutes for a 13 x 9-inch pan.

Icing:
Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted ( please sift to remove any small lumps)
1/4 cup whipping cream ( any amount to desired texture start with 1/4 cup, or use 18% table cream)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl adding whipping cream until desired texture is achieved (do not make it to thin, or it won't stick on cakes!).

The ruling:
Just go ahead and throw all these ingredients together and make this.  And pour yourself a huge glass of milk!  This is simply delicious!  I love, love, love sweet cinnamon brunch dishes, and this is one of the best I've had!  It took me more than 5 minutes to make including prep, but these are ingredients I always have on hand- and it's all from scratch!  The only change I made was to the icing, I used milk instead of whipping cream.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits #9

When I first started watching Food Network, Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten, was foreign to me.  Most of the recipes I had never heard of.  I wouldn't eat a lot of the food she made, and to be honest some of the ingredients I didn't think I could even purchase.  Now, I have to admit there are still a lot of ingredients from her show that I can't find and plently of recipes I don't care to try, but I see recipes all the time that I want to try now.  And either way I love watching Ina's show.  Even if I don't like the food, I always learn easy tips and tricks.  When I first started this blog, I had a list of foods Michael and I love to eat other place that I don't know how to cook, or at least don't have a good recipe for.  Not only did I want to try recipes for those foods, I wanted to find an easy "ultimate" recipe for those foods.  For example, I tried at least 5 tomato soup recipes last year.  And there was definitely one that stuck out.  During my breakfast month, I really want to try to find a biscuit recipe that is easy and tasty.  This is my first shot.  

The case:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cold extra-large egg
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
• Maldon sea salt, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.
4. Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

The ruling:
These were wonderful.  I tried these two ways.  I made a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and one simply with grape jelly.  They were both delicious!  I wasn't sure how the cheddar flavor would be with the grape jelly, but shockingly it was my favorite biscuit of the two.  A couple of tips I learned for next time:  First, make sure not to roll out the dough too thin.  10 x 5 inches isn't that big.  Second, check the biscuits at 20 minutes.  I baked for 23 and thought they were slightly too done.  Either way, these biscuits will be hard to beat.  Thanks Ina!

Month Switch

Yes I know I still need to try some appetizer recipes and I promise I will catch up soon, but the more pressing news is I'm also switching March and April's goals.  March is going to be breakfast/brunch and April will be slow cooker.  I've really been craving sweet breakfast foods lately and what can I say? I'm giving in!

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip #8

I recently got this recipe in an e-mail and thought I'd seen it before.  I got out my cookbook scrapbook, which is what I call my binder that I cut out recipes from magazines and glue into.  I knew I recognized the picture.  I've had this recipe since I was in college.  It was in one of those small Kraft cookbooks that you find in the checkout line at the grocery store.  It's about time I tried it! :) 

The case:

Ingredients:

• pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained 
• 1 lb.  (16 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
• 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed 
• 1 can  (10 oz.) RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained 
• 8 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled 

Directions:
MICROWAVE ingredients in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 5 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 min.

The ruling:
First, I forgot to take a picture of this until I had already sat down.  Don't judge a book by it's cover or food by the way it looks.  I loved this dip!  I made it in the crock pot instead and it turned out perfect!  I also used a full block of cream cheese simply because I didn't want to end up wasting the rest.

Hot Pizza Dip #7

The whole reason I chose appetizers as my February category was because of the Super Bowl.  Little did I know how sick I would be.  I haven't been off the couch or bed in 3 days, but I managed to make a couple of dips.  This is the first one.  It came from All Recipes.

The case:

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
2 ounces pepperoni sausage, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced black olives

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, oregano, parsley, and basil.
Spread mixture in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate, or a shallow microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese on top of the cream cheese mixture. Spread the pizza sauce over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with green pepper, pepperoni and olive slices. Cover, and microwave for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

The ruling:
I just used regular pepperoni on top.  I also did make this the day before after reading many reviewers say that enhanced the flavor.  This was good.  Everyone liked it.  I just served it with regular tortilla chips, but I think it would be better with bagel chips.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels #6

 I love crescent rolls.  They are almost magical with all the different things they can do- desserts, appetizers, main dishes, breakfast- everything!  They are even good by themselves!  There aren't that many things that can do sweet and savory so well.  I'm always on the lookout for new recipes for crescent rolls.  I got this in a Pillsbury e-mail a while back and am finally getting around to making it.

The case:
Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350°F.
2.  If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into  long rectangles. Press each into 12x4-inch rectangle.
3.  Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions.
4.  Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
5.  Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

The ruling:
First, I omitted the onions and doubled the ranch and bacon.  Second, what's not to like? Bacon, ranch, cheese?  These didn't quite have the pop the Bacon Cream Cheese Crescents have, but they are still good.  I added some ranch on the side for dipping.

Bourbon Chicken Wings #5

Continuing my search for a new wing to make for SuperBowl, I came across these on Food.com.  Bourbon chicken was one of the first recipes I made for this blog and still remains one of my favorites, so I thought I would give these a try.

The case:
Ingredients
16 frozen chicken wings
vegetable oil cooking spray
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup bourbon ( or apple juice)
2 tablespoons ketchup

Directions
Lightly coat large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Place frozen wings in a single layer in the prepared skillet.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture evenly over chicken.
Cover and cook over medium heat 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside, turning wings often to prevent from sticking.

The ruling:
These were easy and good, but nothing spectacular.  I used the apple juice.  My search continues...

16 frozen chicken wings

vegetable oil cooking spray

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup bourbon (or apple juice)

2 tablespoons ketchup

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-chicken-wings-148454#ixzz1CRfGkKIX

16 frozen chicken wings

vegetable oil cooking spray

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup bourbon (or apple juice)

2 tablespoons ketchup

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-chicken-wings-148454#ixzz1CRfGkKIX

Parmesan Chicken Wings #4

 I love wings.  Since Michael and I've been married, I've probably made at least a dozen wing recipes.  Not sure how Parmesan is going to be as the main ingredient, but this has good reviews on Food.com so I'm willing to try it.

The case:
Ingredients
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
20 frozen chicken wings, & drummettes, unthawed
1/2 cup butter, melted ( 1 stick)

Directions
Combine first 6 ingredients (cheese through pepper).
Set the melted butter in a bowl and dip the chicken wing pieces first into the butter, then into the cheese mixture to coat.
Set on a foil lined baking sheet with edges.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 45 minutes or until fully cooked.
NOTE: To use raw chicken wings- you will need about 2 pounds of whole fresh wings, cut into 3 pieces each and discarding the wing tips.

The ruling:
I feel like these are really one-dimensional.  Not a huge fan.  I think a combo of Parmesan and Panko would be better.

Kittencal's Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole #3

If you're familiar with Food.com, formally RecipeZaar, you have probably seen and maybe even tried some of Kittencal's recipes.  She also has a blog with even more recipes.  Her recipes are consistently some of the highest rated on Food.com.  I have at least a dozen saved in my recipe box and I am just finally getting around to making one. 

The case:

Ingredients
Sauce:

• 2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted 
• 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (or any cheese of choice) or 3/4 cup swiss cheese ( or any cheese of choice) 
• 1/2 cup 18% table cream ( or use whipping cream)

Filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese ( very soft)
• 4 tablespoons butter ( very soft but not melted) 
• 1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional) 
• 1/3 cup onions, finely chopped ( can use green onions) 
• 2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped ( or use about 2 cups, can use cooked turkey) 
• 1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt ( or use 1/2 teaspoon white salt or to taste) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ( or to taste) 
• 2 -4 tablespoons mayonnaise or 2 -4 tablespoons whipping cream 
• 1 -2 cup grated cheddar cheese ( for topping)

Directions

1. Set oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a casserole dish (any size to hold crescent rolls).
3. In a saucepan, mix half and half cream, 3/4 cup grated cheese (can use more cheese if desired) and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).
4. Heat just until the cheese melts (do not boil).
5. For the filling --- (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder (if using).
6. Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined.
7. Add in 2 tablespoons whipping cream or mayonnaise; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry). Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste.

8. Unroll the crescent rolls.
9. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end.
10. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.
11. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
12. Drizzle the remaining sauce on top (you don't have to use the full amount of cream sauce, just use as much as desired) and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) grated cheese, or amount desired. 
13. Bake for about 30 minutes. 

The ruling:

I pretty much made these exactly as directed, omitting the onion.  I completely forgot to add salt and pepper, but needless to say these chicken packets were delicious!  There are so many things you could add to this mixture.  Next time I'm going to try some with diced tomatoes or maybe even Rotal!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup #2

This is my second attempt at making buffalo chicken wing soup.  The first time, before I ever started this blog, didn't turn out that great.  Then, I had a bowl this summer in Hilton Head at L Woods restaurant that was delicious.  That put me on a mission to find another one.  This recipe is similar to the one I made before, but I'm hoping it will still be the soup I'm looking for.

The case:

Ingredients:
6 cups milk
3 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup (use any flavor creamed soup you like chicken, mushroom, celery, etc I use 2 chicken and 1 celery, us)
3 cups cooked chicken (I use leftover chicken from rotisserie, grilled or baked chicken)
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup ranch dressing or 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup hot sauce, adjust to your taste

Directions:
Stove Top: Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook on stove until hot and flavors have blended. Stir often to dissolve everything and to keep from scorching on the bottom. At least 30 minutes.  Crock Pot: Follow same directions above using crock pot. Just put everything in, stir well to combine everything and then cook on low for 4 hours.  Adjust hot sauce to your liking and/or serve additional sauce on the side to allow each person to adjust their own bowl.  Garnish with an additional dollop of sour cream, ranch or blue cheese dressing/dip and a celery stick. Would also be good with some shredded cheese on top. If you want to stretch it to feed more try serving it over a scoop of white rice.

The ruling:
I made this on the stovetop.  I used several different ingredients because of what I had on hand and also to suit my tastes.  It was easier to put my version below than to explain all the changes.  I also made Trisha Yearwood's cheese biscuits to serve with this.   This soup is wonderful!  It you like buffalo wings, I would suggest trying this right away!  Having the cheese biscuits to dip in the soup just made it that much more wonderful. 

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4-5 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cans cream of chicken
• 1 can of cream of mushroom
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup chicken wing sauce

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a pot on medium high heat.  Bring down to a simmer after mixture starts to boil.  Cook on low-low medium for 30 minutes or until all ingredients are combined well.  

Chicken Pie #1

Another Trisha Yearwood recipe.  This one is from her first cookbook Georgia Cooking from an Oklahoma Kitchen.  One of Oprah's favorite things this year was a chicken pie from Harry and David.  I ordered one and yes it was very good.  I'm hoping to have a much cheaper make at home alternative. 

The case:
Ingredients
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (10 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup self-rising cake flour
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a 2-quart casserole, evenly spread out chicken. In a medium saucepan, whisk together broth and soup; bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour over chicken.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and pepper; stir in buttermilk and butter. Pour over chicken (do not stir); smooth top.
3. Bake pie, uncovered, until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes.

The ruling:
Perfect snow day comfort food dish.  This is a thicker version of a chicken pot pie without the veggies!  The only change I made was to double the recipe, and I'm certainly glad I did! 

Blog 2011 Goals

It seems so weird that I stared this blog a year ago.  I've thought and thought about what to do with Lori's Test Kitchen in 2011.  I enjoy blogging too much just to be finished.  I love having my history to look at.  Plus I use the website to make the recipes again and send recipes to others this way.  The next question I had to answer is what kind of challenge am I going to issue myself.  Of course, I will be continuing trying new recipes, but I don't want to simply have a number for the whole year.  I have a box of files that I keep the recipes I've printed off the Internet.  I've organized the recipes into categories: Mexican, chicken dishes, desserts, etc.  My new goal for 2011 is to pick a category for each month and make 5-7 new recipes for each category.

The monthly categories are:
January-Chicken
February- Appetizers
March- Slow Cooker
April- Breakfast/Brunch
May- Sandwiches
June- Mexican
July- On the Grill
August- Pork/Beef dishes
September- Side Dishes
October- Pizza/Pasta
November- Soups
December- Desserts