EGGPLANT & SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
•  Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

FOR THE CASSEROLE

•  Olive oil, as needed
• 1 large (18 to 20 ounces) eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
•  Salt
•  freshly ground black pepper
• 9 ounces chorizo or spiced sausage
• 12 ounces fontina cheese, grated
• 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

PREPARATION

1. For the béchamel: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add milk, salt, white pepper and nutmeg, and whisk to combine thoroughly. Cook, whisking frequently, until thickened and smooth, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. For the casserole: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, and thoroughly coat both sides with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. Roast until fully cooked, 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat but do not turn off oven. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, sauté sausage until browned and fully cooked. Remove from heat and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
3. Oil an 8-by-11, 2-inch-deep baking dish. Spread one-third of béchamel in baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, then half the fontina and half the sausage. Coat with half of the remaining béchamel. Top with remaining eggplant, fontina and sausage. Spread with remaining béchamel and the Parmesan.
4. Bake until hot, bubbling and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to rest for a minute or two, then serve.

PUMPKIN TEA BREAD

This recipe is one of my all-time Fall Favorites.  It's great for a coffee-break; afternoon tea or dessert!

Hope you love it too!!

3 Cups Flour

3 Cups Sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree (#303can)

3 eggs

1 ½ cups golden raisins

1-cup pecan pieces

1 cup oil

1 tsp. Nutmeg

1 Tsp ground clove

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Spray tube pan thoroughly with Pam.

Add sugar to oil.  Mix well.

Add pumpkin and eggs to mixture and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix all spices, raisins and flour together.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Pour batter in pan.  Sprinkle pecan pieces on top of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean

Cool for 5 minutes and turn out on a cake plate. Garnish with powdered sugar.  Serves 12.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

My gosh!  I've been extremely remiss in posting new recipes.  How I went 2 years without a new one is crazy.  I promise to be more diligent and post at least twice monthly.

This is my go-to recipe for Chicken & Dumplings.  It's simple, easy - and slow-cooked so you can do other things.

Remember - you can delay start your slow-cooker with a lamp timer (*buy at Home Depot) by a couple of hours if needed. (I do not recommend delaying more than 3 hours for food safety sake)  The ingredients will slowly come up to room temperature and will actually cook more evenly.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders or boneless chicken breast cut into large-ish chunks
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 heavy Tsp Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion (Or 2Tbs diced freeze dried onion)
• 1 pound cut carrots  (a little more if you like carrots)
• 4 large stalks chopped celery
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup half and half or heavy cream (hold til Step 4)

DUMPLINGS

• 1 cup flour (gluten free or regular - as needed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup milk or half and half
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bottom of a large slow cooker (I use a 6-quart), place onions, carrot, celery.  
2. Put chicken into a Ziploc bag (or bowl) and add cornstarch, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the chicken with herbs and cornstarch.  Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
3. Mix chicken stock (broth) with Cream of Chicken soup and pour over the chicken. (Make certain liquid covers chicken and vegetables completely - if not, add water with bouillon cube or more broth until it does) Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low. (the 3-hour time is best for flavor and moist chicken)
4. Remove lid, mix ingredients and add heavy cream.  (this will thicken the broth while the dumplings cook)
5. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt.  Work in the butter using your fingers until coarse crumbs begin to form.
6. Stir in the milk and combine well until a sticky dough begins to form.
7. Drop tablespoon sized dollops of dough over the stew in an even layer. (I do roll mine a little so they are rounded a bit) Push the dumplings (gently) under the broth so they get a coating of broth - (they will float back up) 
8. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 1 additional hour on high or until dumplings are cooked through.
9. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN CHILI

This recipe is great for a busy day - or any day that needs something easy.

*Note - I use a lamp timer to delay my slow-cooker turning on or to switch it off after a certain number of hours.  You can get one at Lowes or Home Depot or Ace Hardware.  This is helpful when you won't be home to turn the cooker on in mid-morning and the ingredients are cold or partially frozen.  It's completely safe and tested.

1 LB - 1 1/4 IB boneless skinless chicken - breasts or thighs
1 small onion chopped
1 small bell pepper chopped
1 cup salsa (I use green or red - whatever is on hand)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chopped chili peppers
1 tsp cumin (ground)
1 tbs chopped garlic (or 2 cloves)
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs pepper
1 tbs chili powder
2 cans pinto beans
1 can cannellini beans

In slow-cooker, first 7 ingredients.  Add spices on top of the chicken.  Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours.

When bubbling, test chicken to see if it will shred easily with a fork.  If so, shred chicken.  If not, let cook another 30 - 45 minutes.

Add beans to shredded chicken mixture.  Cook 30 minutes more until beans are hot. 

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions to top.  I also serve with fresh cornbread.

Slow-Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Yield: 4 servings;   Prep Time: 20 min;   Cook Time: 5 hours

Ingredients:

• 3 large bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup blackberry jam
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 lb fresh pea pods
• Sliced scallions, for garnish
• Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Arrange the chicken breasts in the slow cooker so that they are not overlapping.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, olive oil, garlic, onion and crushed red pepper flakes (optional), and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on LOW for 4 to 5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked.

Using tongs, remove the chicken from the slow cooker (reserving the liquids) and place it on a cutting board. Remove the bones then use two forks to shred the chicken into smaller pieces. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.

Transfer the liquids from the slow cooker into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and whisk in the slurry. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook it until it reduces and has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to combine. Add pea pods to slow cooker and cook on low for 20 minutes.  Serve the chicken topped with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes:

To make this dish kid-friendly, simply leave out the crushed red pepper flakes.

Using bone-in chicken breasts, rather than boneless chicken breasts, is key to guaranteeing moist, tender shredded chicken.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Tender, moist chicken meat cooked in the slow-cooker with the simplest ever sauce!  This is super good - even on a busy, crazy weekday.


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken - I use boneless, skinless thighs
1/8 cup butter - I use Kerrygold garlic herb butter
2/3 C water
1 package Italian dressing mix (I used Seven Seas)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 can/package cream of chicken soup - I use Pacific GF Cream of Chicken


INSTRUCTIONS:

1:  Prep your slow-cooker - I spray with olive oil lightly.  Add chicken and dressing mix together in slow cooker; add butter and water to the mix.  

2:  Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours (If you are working, using a lamp timer, set the cooker to come on at noon - the chicken will come up to room temperature and cook more evenly)

3:  Add (room temperature) cream cheese (yes, I microwaved it for 30 seconds) and soup.  Mix together and cook on high for 30 minutes.

4:  Cook egg noodles or rice (However you prefer your stroganoff.  We used GF pasta). Serve over rice or pasta.

Optional: Add a green vegetable or salad of your choice.
 

YUM.

Super Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken (like a rotisserie chicken)

1 package frozen corn

32 oz chicken broth (homemade or store bought)

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 jar salsa that you love - I use Pace Chunky Garden Style

 

(Optional) Fresh Cilantro - Chopped

 

Place everything into a crockpot. Cook on low heat setting for 4 hours.  Serve over tortilla strips (or chips) and garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream (optional - sprinkle with Cilantro).