Grilled Pizza ROCKS

I am ALMOST at a loss for words to describe the awesomeness of grilling pizza.

First, let me just give credit where credit is due. My friend Bryce from Chilefire.com gave me a cookbook that has changed the way I will eat pizza for the rest of my days... Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas. Bryce wrote an article on his experience making the pizza crust recipe from the book. If you're into making your own pizza crust, go read his article.

Flipping through this book at 8 o'clock in the morning is not advised. Just LOOKING at the book cover right now and knowing what's inside is making my mouth water.

Now, most of y'all know my style. I like quick, reasonable solutions without sacrificing flavor and health. So, when the book said I could use Pillsbury's Pizza Crust instead of making my own - I was on it like white on rice.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO GRILL PIZZA

• 3 cans Pillsbury Pizza Crust (found with the canned biscuits & cinnamon rolls at the grocery store)
• pizza sauce of choice: tomato, pesto, extra virgin olive oil
• toppings of choice: grilled chicken, grilled zucchini & squash, artichoke hearts, grilled shrimp, grilled jalapeños, Canadian bacon, onion, roasted garlic and tomatoes
• cheese toppings: mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, etc.

First thing is to prep all your toppings; wash, chop, slice & dice. Get yourself ready to top the pizza when the crust is ready. Preparation is really key to making grilled pizza a simple, fast and fun dinner for everyone. Having friends in the kitchen is even MORE FUN! My good friend, Kim, managed the kitchen while I worked the grill.

The first time out, I had a propane grill to work with. That was cool for me. I just had to light it, clean it and go! So, I started with grilling the chicken, vegetables and peppers.

Lakeside grilling experience provided by Charlotte, who is a very close friend of John, who is married to Kim and lives across the street from us. John & Kim invited us to join them by the lake in Corsicana, Texas. We spent the most wonderful time; relaxing, swimming, fishing, and dancing to 80s music.
THANK YOU CHARLOTTE, JOHN & KIM!!!

It took about 7 to 10 minutes to grill the vegetables on the cool areas of the grill. It was about 12 to 15 minutes on the chicken. The chicken was thick breasts and I should have placed them in a resealable freezer bag then pound them into fillets with a even thickness. That would have cut my grilling time down to 6 to 10 minutes. Oh well, I'll know better next time, right?

While the chicken was cooking, I went back into the kitchen and tossed sliced fresh tomatoes and garlic cloves with the skin on in a light coating of extra virgin olive oil then baked them at 375F degrees for 15 minutes.

After the chicken, vegetables and garlic were all done and set aside, it was time to work the pizza crusts. I made sure to coat the pizza pans (my work surface & transporting tools) with oil. I stretched and thinned them out with a rolling pin until they made large size pizzas.

As a kid-friendly precaution, we went ahead and baked the kid's pizza crust in the oven until it was golden brown then pulled it out, topped it with Canadian bacon and cheese, then finished baking it off until dough was crisp and cheese was melted.

NOW WE'RE READY TO GRILL THE CRUST

Just as Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas directs for gas grilling. Adjust each burner to the medium-high setting. Close the grill cover and allow the grill to heat for about 10 minutes, or until the thermometer reaches 400F degrees (200C).

When the grill is right, hold the cookie sheet or pizza pan close to it and slide the dough onto the grill. You may need a friend to help you lift it off and move it gently and quickly to the grill.

The dough should take about 3 minutes to cook. Watch for bubbles. The crust will be soft at first and tear easily, so try not to touch it. It will firm up and be easier to move.

To check for doneness, lift the underside. It should be an even light brown with brown grill marks. A charred crust adds to the flavor. Don't be afraid of the charred spots.

Pick up the crust from the middle, using tongs, and place it on your cookie sheet or pan. Flip it over so the grilled side is face up. This browned side becomes the top of your pizza.

For thicker crust dough, use a slightly cooler fire and grill a few minutes longer. This way the outer crust does not burn before the middle of the dough cooks through.

Now go back inside and top your pizza with your favorite toppings. Try not to load it down or it will become difficult to move back onto the grill.

Turn the fire down to about 75 percent of the highest heat. Grill the pizza for 5 to 8 minutes. Check it after one minute by gently lifting up an edge of the crust with your tongs. If it is turning dark quickly, turn down the heat or move it to a cooler side of the grill.

After 3 to 4 minutes, the pizza will begin to crisp and brown lightly on the bottom. When it's done, the crust will be crispy. Don't fret about the black spots--those are the tasty parts. I'm not much on charred food but in this case, I'll make the exception.

Grip the pizza in the middle with your tongs and pull it onto the cookie sheet or pan. Move it to a cutting board and cut it into squares or triangles.

YOU ARE READY TO EAT THE BEST PIZZA EVER!!!

King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

This is the MOTHER of all recipes ever posted on Simple Daily Recipes.

Anyone who's been around here long enough, knows I don't cook meals that call for too many steps. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only other extensive recipe I've ever posted was Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.

Even though this recipe has a lot of steps compared to my usual recipe format- Folks, believe me when I tell you, it's ALL WORTH IT IN THE END.
The only regret you will have is that you didn't double the recipe.

LET'S GET THIS DINNER STARTED

I want to first demonstrate the steps involved. The ingredients and measurements are at the bottom of the post.

Roast the 4 Chicken breasts. Follow my regular roasting technique. Allow the chicken to cool down enough to handle. You can either cut the meat into bite size chunks or shred it. It's up to you. Set aside.

While the oven is hot, set it to broil and roast one red bell pepper and one poblano pepper. Roast until they start turning black, turning to cook all the sides. My broiler element is old, so it took me about 10 to 15 minutes to get these peppers tender.

Allow peppers to cool, then peel away skins and seed core and discard. You can rinse the peppers after you're finish cleaning them. It doesn't remove their flavors in anyway.

Dice all the peppers; start by cutting across making 1/4 inch strips, then cut lengthwise with 1/4 inch cuts.

Voila! Chopped peppers set aside.

Now for making the creamy mushroom sauce from scratch. DON'T be tempted to go buy a can of cream of mushroom to save a step - you'll ruin the recipe!
Chop onions and mushrooms. Cook in oil and butter until tender.

Add flour, stirring continuously, cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, still stirring until smooth, and cook until sauce starts to thicken, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Using a stick blender or regular blender, carefully blend mushroom sauce until pureed. Stir in 1 cup of nonfat sour cream until smooth. Set aside.

Spray a 13x9x2 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour about a 1/2 cup of mushroom sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Lay down 6 corn tortillas in pan. Add 1/2 the chopped chicken and top with shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. Drizzle a little cream sauce on top. Save most of it for the top layer.

Lay down another 6 corn tortillas. The rest of the chicken and diced peppers come next. The poblano is too spicy for the kids, so I left it off on one third of the dish. The red bell pepper is sweet, so I dropped a little for color and introduction. Pour on ALL mushroom cream sauce.

Finish with a layer of cheese

Cover with foil.

Starting with a cold oven; place dish on middle rack, set oven to 350F degrees. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

SHOO! You are READY TO EAT the BEST KING RANCH CHICKEN you've ever eaten!

NOW FOR THE GROCERY LIST AND MEASUREMENTS

• 4 chicken breasts, skin on, bone in
• a little oil to coat the chicken
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 poblano pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter (for cream sauce)
• 1 tablespoon oil (for cream sauce)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped mushroom
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup nonfat sour cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 to 3 cups cheddar and jack cheese, blended

Like I said earlier, this dinner IS WORTH EVERY STEP and you really will wish you doubled the recipe.

I sure did and next time, I will.

Sloppy Chicken Enchiladas

This dish has been a family favorite for years.  The kids never grow tired of Sloppy Chicken Enchiladas.  You can make it as spicy or mild as your family can handle.
HERE'S HOW EASY IT IS

• 1 1/2 pounds of frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 can (4 oz) green chilies
• 1/3 can roasted garlic tomatoes, drained
• 6 flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350F degrees.

Gently defrost frozen chicken breasts in microwave, enough to cut up easily. In medium pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium to medium high heat, add cut up breasts in half dollar size pieces, onions, water, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, cover with lid. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, until fully cooked.

In a large bowl, mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Use a pizza cutter to cut up tortillas into bite size pieces. Misted a 13×9x2 casserole dish with nonstick spray. When the chicken is finally cooked, empty the chicken mixture (broth & all) into the large soup mix bowl and stir. Toss in the tortillas and stir them around until they are well coated with the soup mix. Then, transfer the sloppy enchiladas to the casserole dish, spread it out evenly then top it with the cheese. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

KID FRIENDLY TIP
Top only half of the casserole with green chilies and tomatoes.

Creamy Penne Pasta and Chicken

This creamy penne pasta and chicken was a HUGE HIT with the family, particularly my picky daughter.  After two bites, my son asked if there was enough for leftovers.  That should count for extra points, right?

The picture above shows the adult dinner; topped with sliced grape tomatoes and sprinkled with red pepper flakes.  Naturally, I left them off the kiddo's plates.  The cream sauce is flavored with onion slices and minced garlic cooked in butter.  It's mild and flavorful.  Instead of using milk, sour cream was the dairy of choice.  This ingredient alone had us ALL going back for a second serving.

It took longer to cook the penne than to make the sauce.  The roasted chicken was already cooked from the other day of cooking ahead.  I highly recommend making a habit of roasting chicken ahead of time.  You will save yourself SO much time and it opens up opportunities to try other recipes or just relax more.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

• 2 1/2 cups penne pasta, cooked as directed

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/3 cup onion, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 (15 oz.) can or 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream, half-n-half or whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 roasted chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• red pepper flakes, optional
• grape tomatoes, sliced, optional

While the penne is cooking, melt butter in a medium sauce pan.  Cook garlic and onions with 1/4 teaspoon salt, over medium heat, until onions have softened.  Add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in broth, stirring frequently until sauce comes to simmer.  Remove from heat.

PLEASE STAND BY FOR A KID FRIENDLY TIP
If you have one on hand, use an immersion blender to puree onions into sauce for a smoother texture.  Or, carefully move sauce to a blender with the lid secured, and pulse the sauce until smooth.  Move sauce back to pan and stir in sour cream until it has melted.  The kiddos will never know about the onions and garlic.

If you don't have to worry about kids, then simply stir in the sour cream until it has melted.  Be sure the pasta is well drained, then move to a large serving bowl.  Top pasta with chicken pieces.  Pour sauce over hot pasta, tossing well to get all that creamy sauce inside the pasta.  Allow to stand a few minutes before serving, so sauce can thicken. Garnish individual plates with grape tomatoes and red pepper flakes.

Roasted Chicken Salad

Oh yea? Well, pack THIS in your lunch box! 

I've just finished roasting up a batch of chicken breasts for the week ahead.  I had a little red bell pepper and salad greens leftover from the Chicken Rollups dinner, so I put them together for lunch.  

I roasted the chicken breast my usual way, except I changed the salt and pepper.  Doesn't that sound odd?  "I changed the salt and pepper."  Gone are the days of just "season with salt and pepper."  Oh, I feel a Mickey Rooney rant surging up, must stay on track...roasted chicken salad.  I used McCormick's Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt and Peppercorn Melange, the ones that come in their own grinders.

After grinding enough spices to make one teaspoon each, I was ready to move them to my electric spice grinder (my old coffee grinder).  I COULD NOT get that grinder lid off!  What is up with that!?! It's worse than a child proof cap.  Who came up with this design?  And why won't they let me open it up?

Yes, yes, I'm getting to the salad.

HERE'S THE GOODS ON ROASTED CHICKEN SALAD

• 1 package organic baby lettuce mix
• 1 package organic baby spinach
• 2 small carrots, sliced
• 1/4 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• grape tomatoes, as many as you want to eat
• roasted chicken breast, sliced, as much as you want to eat
• your favorite salad dressing, or oil & vinegar mix

Wash & prep enough salad greens to make four salads (2 dinner, 2 lunch); storing them in an air tight container for later use.  Any extra greens are wrapped in a paper towel and stored in an 1 gallon freezer bag with all the air removed.

To build the salad, grab a couple of handfuls of lettuce greens per person and top with the remaining ingredients.  Drizzle on your favorite salad dressing, and you're ready to eat!

I cannot get enough of Briannas Creamy Balsamic dressing.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

There is nothing difficult about making REAL sour cream chicken enchiladas.  Every phase of the preparation is really easy.  They simply take time and a love for Tex-Mex cuisine.  I highly recommend you make two batches of enchiladas; one to eat, one to freeze.  This recipe will fill two 13x9 inch casserole dishes.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO GET STARTED

Chicken Filling

• 6 roasted chicken breasts, shredded
• 1 can (15 oz.) Southwest style diced tomatoes
• 4 oz. can diced green chilies
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons cumin
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Sour Cream Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 2 cup sour cream

• 20 flour tortillas
• 8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

In a large skillet on medium high heat, add shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, green chilies, minced garlic; cook for 7- 10 minutes, until you see the tomatoes breaking down.  Add in cumin, chili powder, and flour; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly and getting the spices mixed well over the chicken.  Pour in chicken broth, stir in well.

Chicken filling at this point should have enough liquid to stir easily, but NOT be soupy.  (It's just like when you're seasoning taco meat, the liquid is there to help the spices adhere to the meat.)  REDUCE HEAT to medium low.  Continue to cook until meat has thickened and almost dry, stirring regularly, about 20-30 minutes.  Remove from heat.

DO AHEAD TIP
At this point, you could easily move the chicken filling to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to three days.  I like to refrigerate overnight to get a better flavor when I'm rolling tamales and enchiladas.

Back to the enchiladas!

Prep your work area for assembly.

Spray the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Use a tray or large sheet pan to work on; it's easier to clean up. Take one tortilla and fill with meat filling across the bottom of tortilla, as seen in picture above.  Depending on the size of the tortillas, the amount of meat will vary.  I, personally, like meaty enchiladas, so I fill'er up!  As you can see from the pictures. Once you've filled the casserole dish, set it aside.

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

It's time to make the sour cream sauce!

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter and add flour.  Whisking flour constantly; cook for 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil, whisking frequently.  Remove from heat; stir in sour cream; pour sauce evenly over chicken enchiladas.  Top with Monterey Jack cheese.  BAKE uncovered 25 minutes.

Cover the second casserole dish with heavy foil and freeze to eat later.  When you're ready to eat it; thaw enchiladas.  Heat oven to 350F degrees and reheat for up to 40 minutes, or until hot.  I recommend keeping the foil cover on the baking dish.

It's truly worth all the effort to make your own sour cream chicken enchiladas.  Your family will really feel special when they taste them.

My good friend, Ben over at What's Cooking.com makes The Perfect Mexican Rice go to with these enchiladas.

Black Bean Salad, Chicken Quesadillas

This meal was inspired from a Hunt's recipe I found while clipping coupons.  Naturally, I didn't have everything the original recipe wanted me to use, so, I made due.

KID FRIENDLY
Right up front, my kids ALWAYS want simple meals where ingredients are kept separated on the plate.  So for them, I made simple chicken and cheese quesadillas.  I reserved half the can of black beans to serve on the side with a dollop of sour cream.  And everyone was HAPPY!

HERE'S WHAT THE GROWN UPS LOVED

Start heating your large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Mix the black bean salad.

• 1/2 to 3/4 can (15oz) Southwestern style tomatoes
• 1/2 cup whole kernel corn
• 1/2 can (15oz) black beans
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• juice of one small, fresh lime

Stir everything together in a medium bowl and set aside.

• 2 roasted chicken breasts, sliced into bite size pieces
• 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded into small bowl
• 4 burrito size zesty Garlic tortillas

On the griddle; warm up tortilla on both sides, 20-30 seconds.  Spread 1/3 cup cheese over half the tortilla, top with chicken, and 1/4 cup black bean salad.  Fold tortilla in half over filling.  Brown tortillas 2-3 minutes on each side until cheese melts.  Cut into wedges.  Serve remaining salsa as side salad with tortillas chips.

One hungry husband can take down 1 1/2 full tortillas worth, the kiddos shared one tortilla, and I easily polished off one tortilla.   This is not a heavy meal and it's so flavorful.  You'll be finished before you're ready to be finished.

Quick & Simple Chicken and Spinach Pizza

As some of you already know, Friday night is movie and a pizza night for my family. It's one of our favorite nights we spend as a family. The kiddos always want their ham with extra cheese, while Chaz and I like to change it up a bit each week. This week's chicken and spinach pizza recipe is our new favorite combination!

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

Pizza Ingredients

• 1 package Mama's Gourmet Pizza Crust
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup seasoned tomato sauce
• 1/3 package (10oz) frozen whole leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dryL
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 oz. Romano cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

Salad for two

• 1 container of organic baby lettuce
• 6-8 grape tomatoes
• 1 small carrot, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• a few slices Roman cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons Briannas New American Dressing (creamy balsamic vinaigrette)

Preheat oven with pizza stone to 425ºF degrees.

Go ahead, wash and prep individual salads, then set aside.

To build the pizza:

1. Drizzle 2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil on crust, lightly coat all the crust evenly with fingers, then sprinkle with pepper.
2. Spread around tomato sauce, don't feel like you have to coat the whole crust, just here and there.
3. Layer on spinach, chicken, tomatoes, onions. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, being sure to hit the spinach and tomatoes with salt.
4. Lay on slices of Romano on chicken, and spread Mozzarella all over.
5. Bake on pizza stone 7-9 minutes. Allow to cool a couple of minutes before serving.

ENJOY THIS ON YOUR NEXT PIZZA NIGHT!

Also, be sure to try the Ham and Spinach Pizza recipe.

Chicken and Black Bean Salad

This week, I'm on a salad kick for lunch.  This salad combination is so good, I've eaten it for 3 days in a row!

It helps to have leftover cooked chicken on hand.  So, I'll first mention how I cooked the chicken.

HERE'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO

• 1 pound chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in pan on med. high heat.  Carefully add in chicken tenders, season with half of the salt and pepper.  Cook up to 5 minutes, until the chicken isn't sticking to pan.  Turn over tenders and season other side with the rest of the salt and pepper.  Finish cooking until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Remove from heat.

After the chicken cools; store in good air tight containers to refrigerate or freeze for later use.  To make salads for the next few days, simply keep refrigerated.

NOW FOR SALAD WEEK

• 1 container of organic baby lettuce
• 1 small container grape tomatoes
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup finely shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 bottle Briannas Dijon Honey Mustard Dressing

Go ahead and wash and prep the vegetables; store in separate air tight containers.  When you're ready, layer the salad; baby lettuce, black beans, carrot, green onion, cheese, cooked chicken, then drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing on top.   Serve with a few tortilla chips.

TO MAKE AHEAD FOR LUNCH AT WORK
Keep your salad fresh by making it upside down.  Add the dressing to the bottom of your salad container FIRST, chicken, carrot, green onion, black beans, cheese, top with lettuce and cover.  When you're ready to eat, keep the lid on, turn it over and shake it.  Your salad will be fresh as if you just tossed it together and you're ready to eat.
(Don't forget to pack a fork and a few chips.)

Chicken Spaghetti with Spinach

The original recipe is called Bistro Chicken from Kraftfoods.com.  However, my husband is not a fan of mushrooms, so I had to change it up a bit.  I believe this is the fastest and tastiest, pasta dinner I've ever put together.  (Just sauce and pasta doesn't count.)

I made this dish the other night after coming home from my friend's house too late.  I had just 35 minutes to get a hot meal ready before Charlie got home from work.  It was ready the exact time he walked in the door!  Take about timing.  Shew!

HERE'S ALL THERE IS TO IT

Cook enough pasta for two hungry adults or four light eaters.

• 1 roasted chicken breast, shredded
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (15oz) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 (10oz) package frozen spinach
• fresh mozzarella cheese

BIG TIME SAVER
Every other week, I roast chicken breasts to store in the freezer for future meals.  For nights when there's no time, I defrost the amount of breasts I need in the microwave.  Yes, I use the defrost functions on my microwave, so I don't over cook the chicken.

Back to the recipe. Cook the onion in a little butter and oil until translucent.  Add in the tomatoes with the liquid, Italian dressing  tomato paste, shredded chicken and spinach. If it looks too thick, add about a 1/3 cup water. Cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer 15 minutes or so, until spinach and chicken is heated through.

Spoon chicken mixture onto pasta, top with a thin slice mozzarella, add a slice of toasted garlic bread.  You are ready to eat!

Texas Chicken Chili

I haven't made this recipe in a very long while.  Honestly, I forgot all about it.  I found the original recipe, Arizona Chicken Chili, off the back of a can of corn, many, many years ago.  But seeing how I don't live in Arizona and live in Texas.  I'm calling my version, Texas Chicken Chili.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 to 2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 package of taco seasoning OR
  (1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin)

• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (can use the seasoned types, your choice)
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz.) can each:
  black beans, drained & rinsed
  kidney beans, drained
  whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cooked chicken and spices in oil over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until cooked through.  Pour in tomatoes then heat to boiling, simmer for 10 minutes.  Add in chicken broth, beans and corn.  Bring back up to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer 20 to 30 minutes.  Serve with cheese on top and your favorite crackers on the side.

VEGETARIAN CHILI

I have made this for my one vegetarian friend.  Leaving out the chicken, I added one can of black eye peas and used water in place of chicken broth.

ON THE SIDE

If you don't feel like crackers on the side, try adding one cup of parboiled rice (Uncle Ben's) when you add the broth.  Allow the rice to cook until tender, 12-15 minutes, before adding the beans and corn.

Another suggestion is to make a batch of Cornbread Pancakes or Moist Cornbread Muffins.  It's all good!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

My family has been under the weather this past week.  You know, it's one thing for me to feel yucky, it's a real bummer to see my kids and husband feeling low.  I wanted to make them feel better, give them something soothing, warm, creamy and full of goodness.  So, I made chicken noodle soup!

I didn't have a particular winning recipe to work from, so I read through a couple of cookbooks to get the rhythm of making a creamy soup.  The Barefoot Contessa had a show using the 40 cloves of garlic chicken recipe that gave me the basics for thickening the broth.  Once I was in the kitchen, I went off on my own and came out with a delicious creamy noodle soup.

Just so you know, there was shredded roasted chicken in my freezer, leftover from baking last week.  The roasted garlic was leftover from the Roasted Garlic post I wrote the other day.  I usually have some type of noodle or pasta waiting in my pantry for such occasions and the rest of the ingredients just happen to be on hand.

HERE'S WHAT I HAD TO WORK WITH

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 cloves of roasted garlic, minced
• 1 (32 oz.) carton of chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 1/2 cups roasted chicken, shredded
• 2 1/2 cups dumpling noodles
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup half-n-half or whole milk

In the soup pot, add butter, onions and carrots, pinch of salt, on medium high heat.  Cook until carrots are tender.  Add in garlic, broth, water, poultry seasoning, chicken, heat until boiling then add noodles.  Cook noodles the amount of time specified on package.

Ladle out 1/2 cup broth into small bowl and blend in flour until smooth, no lumps.  Add back into soup pot and cook for 3-5  minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk. 

Serve with warm French bread.  (This is very good the next day, too.)

I certainly hope your family stays well through out this holiday season.  Don't wait until they're feeling low to try this recipe.  Make a pot of it for the weekend, and enjoy being a kid again eating chicken noodle soup!

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