Easy Chicken & Dumplings

This is sooo good and I can easily pull it together in 30 minutes. Serves 4-6

1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
S & P
1 TBS Olive oil
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme
5-6 cups chicken broth
1 heaping TBS flour
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Dumplings
1 cup flour
1/2-3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp Garlic salt
pepper
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS fresh chopped parsley or 1 1/2 tsp dried

1. Heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium high heat in large saucepan. Add carrots, onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper and saute 6-8 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and stir. Add 1 TBS flour and stir to coat veggies and cook 1-2 minutes to brown flour.
2. Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaves. Add chopped chicken. Turn heat down to medium and let simmer 15 minutes and then remove bay leaves. Add fresh thyme.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, garlic salt, pepper. Add buttermilk and parsley, stir until dough comes together. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into broth, no bigger than a heaping tablespoon so the dough cooks through. Using spoon push dumplings down into broth to cover the tops briefly. Cover soup and cook for 5 more minutes until dumplings have puffed and cooked through. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve!

Asian Grilled Salmon

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

You can downsize recipe based on how much fish you have, original recipe below serves 6. Don't fret over exactness, I made 2 filets and just eyeballed my ingredients. I also used my indoor grill pan. This is flexible.

1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Light charcoal briquettes in a grill and brush the grilling rack with oil to keep the salmon from sticking. While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Quick Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This recipe is approximate, pretty much fool-proof and can easily be adapted for any size family.
The recipe amounts are for an 8x8 pan, which was pretty thick and oh so good. Just double accordingly for a 9x13.

1/2 rotisserie chicken, chopped or 2 cans chicken breast, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
S & P
1 can green chiles
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 cups tortilla chips, more or less depending on how wet you like your casserole

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large bowl combine wet ingredients. Add chicken season to taste with S & P. Add 1/2 of your cheese and crush tortilla chips. Stir to coat and place in greased cooking dish.
3. Top with remaining cheese and cook for 25-30 minutes until dish is bubbling and browned on top. Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Baked Artichoke Squares

This is a great appetizer that is super easy and practically fool-proof! Everyone that tastes it think it's pretty fantastic. I got the recipe from an ad for Crisco so the real name is "Crisco Baked Artichoke Squares," but I didn't think that sounded TOO appetizing!


Baked Artichoke Squares
Prep time: 25 mins. Baketime: 30 mins. Makes: 2 doz.


Ingredients:
No-stick cooking spray
3 T Oil
1 C chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 C thinly-sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (make sure they are NOT marinated)
1/3 C chopped green onion
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 C shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)
1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 oz)
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Pastry:
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C oil
1/4 C milk


Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.


For Filling: Heat oil in medium skillet. Add mushrooms, celery and garlic. Saute until celery is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in artichoke hearts, green onion, marjoram, oregano and cayenne. Add cheddar cheese, Monterey Jacke cheese and eggs. Mix well. Set aside.


For Pastry: Combine flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. Blend oil and milk in small mixing bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir with fork until mixture forms a ball. Press dough in bottom and slightly up the side of the prepared pan.


Spread cheese mixture on crust; bake 30 minutes, or until center is set. Cool slightly. Cut into 24 squares. Serve warm (or you can reheat it for a short period in the microwave and it tastes just as good!) Enjoy :)

Mini Pecan Pies

submitted by Amanda Elmer

For fun we make these pies in a muffin tin and use the Foolproof Pie Crust recipe. YUMMY and oh so cute!

Combine:
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
2/3 c. sugar
dash of salt

Add:
1 c. dark corn syrup (I always use light and it turns out fine)
1/3 c. melted butter
Mix well.

Stir in 1 cup pecan halves.
Pour into pie shell in a large pie plate.
Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes.

Foolproof Pie Crust

submitted by Amanda Elmer

When I first made this I was skeptical but it turned out wonderfully, flaky and delicious.

4 c. flour
1 3/4 c. shortening (I use butter flavored)
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 T. vinegar OR lemon juice (I've tried both and can't tell a difference)
1 egg
1/2 c. water

With a fork, mix firs four ingredients together. In a separate dish, beat vinegar, eggs, and water. Combine the two mixtures, stirring with a fork until all pieces are moistened. With hands, mold dough in a ball. Chill at leats 15 minutes before rolling out. (dough can be kept in the refrigerator 4 or 5 days)

Chocolate Mint Oreo Ice Cream Cake

submitted by Heather Gunnell

Mint Oreo Ice Cream
(Makes 1 1/2 quarts)

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp peppermint extract (do NOT substitute mint)
1 cup chopped mint Oreo cookies

Combine milk and cream in medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a slow boil over medium heat until it reaches 175 degrees, stirring occasionally.

Combine the eggs, yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat with hand mixer until mixture is thick, smooth and pale yellow in color, about 2 minutes.

Pour out 1 cup hot milk mixture and with hand mixer on low add the cup of hot milk/cream to egg mixture in a steady stream. When thoroughly combined, pour back into saucepan and stir. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens and reaches 180 degrees. Pour through fine mesh sieve into medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly in the custard and chill completely. When chilled add peppermint extract. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions and add oreos during last 5 minutes of freezing.

For the Cake & Ganache
1 devils food cake mix or your favorite chocolate cake recipe
1 cup heavy cream
8-10 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz white chocolate
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
green food coloring

Make cake according to directions. Pour into jellyroll pan greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 or until toothpick in center comes out with few crumbs attached. Do not overbake.

Remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack. Cut in half width-wise. Place cake layer onto serving dish and top with softened ice cream, leveling with spatula. Place in freezer for 15-20 minutes. Top with remaining cake layer and using parchment gently press into ice cream so layers adhere. Place in freezer while you make ganache.

Ganache
Bring cream to a low boil over medium heat. Reserve 1/4 cup. Pour 1 cup cream over chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Pour over chilled cake covering top and sides evenly.
Add remaining 1/4 cup cream to chopped white chocolate and add peppermint extract and food coloring. Using pastry bag with small tip or plastic bag with corner snipped drizzle over chocolate in zig-zag pattern. Then run toothpick through to create desired effect. Place cake in freezer to set ganache.