 Crisscross Apple Crowns Apple pie filling 1 package large flaky biscuits (in can) 2 tsp. butter, melted cinnamon sugar
They did a fabulous job and they had a had a lot of fun in the process.
Have a great Monday. Ciao!
0 Comments
Thursday night I made Mushroom Rolled Chicken. My original recipe was for mushroom stuffed chicken but I accidentally bought thin sliced chicken breasts at the grocery store this week. When I opened the packaged and realized that there was absolutely no way that I could possibly stuff these thin chicken cutlets, I decided to roll the filling inside them instead. They turned out just as good.  Mushroom Rolled Chicken 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1/2 teaspoon pepper 8 ounces mushrooms 4 boneless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 egg, beaten 1 Tablespoon butter
Stir in garlic and thyme.
Cool and stir in cheese, salt and pepper.
Roll up each chicken breast.
Bake 30 minutes at 350.
You can serve the chicken rolled or sliced into thin rounds. Either way - it makes a beautiful presentation.  Both kids unrolled their chicken and scraped out the mushrooms but that didn't stop them from eating it. It was delicious with and without the mushrooms.
By the way - thank you to my sweet daughter who helped me prepare and photograph this meal.  For me, Thanksgiving morning is all about getting the turkey ready to put either in the oven or on the Big Green Egg to cook. I don't like to bother with a fussy breakfast on that day so I usually set out some muffins and fruit for everyone to help themselves while I tend to poultry preparations. My pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are always a big hit with this family. I baked mine earlier in the week and put them in the freezer to save for Thanksgiving.  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 1 2/3 cup flour 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup pumpkin 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chocolate chips ¼ teaspoon baking powder
 My muffins are all safely stored away in my freezer for Thanksgiving morning. (Minus one because I had to taste test them this afternoon ... just to make sure they were suitable for eating.)
Ciao!  The very first year that I had the privilege of preparing Thanksgiving dinner for my husband's family, I bought a 5 pound bag of potatoes to turn into mashed potatoes. My husband walked through the kitchen as I was peeling potatoes and he had a very confused look on his face. We started to go over the guest list and we concluded that there would be 15 or 16 people joining us for Thanksgiving dinner. Apparently, I wasn't picking up on his subtleties because he went on to tell me how his family was "meat and potatoes" eaters. He continued to survey the kitchen for more potatoes and when he found only the one bag, he gently suggested that I might need to make more. I reassured him that mashed potatoes was only one of the starches that I would be serving for Thanksgiving. I was also going to be preparing a sweet potato souffle and a squash risotto.  I was so wrong. My little 5 pound bowl of mashed potatoes didn't even make it halfway around the table. We had to pass the bowl back so everyone could scoop a little of their potatoes back into the bowl to share with the rest of the guests. My husband really did know his family well enough to know that mashed potatoes were a huge part of the Thanksgiving meal. Needless to say the sweet potato souffle and the squash risotto were hardly touched. Lesson learned - always make plenty of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I like to make my mashed potatoes ahead of time and freeze them so that all I have to do on Thanksgiving day is reheat them. A couple of weeks ago, I peeled my bag of potatoes, cubed them and boiled them until they were tender. (I like the yellow potatoes because they give the appearance of buttery goodness without having to add a lot of extra butter and fat.) Boil potatoes until tender then drain in a colander and transferred them to a large bowl.
Sometimes I use a potato masher and sometimes I use a hand mixer to mash my potatoes, depending on the desired texture. In this case, I used a hand mixer to mash the potatoes - leaving a few lumps of course. I scooped some of the potatoes into a serving dish pyrex dish to serve for dinner. 
On Thanksgiving Day, I remove the plastic wrap from the potatoes and replace the foil before putting them in the oven to warm for about 45 minutes at 350. Don't worry if the potatoes look slightly grainy and some liquid appears on the surface. Stirring the potatoes periodically during the warming process helps to restore their creamy consistency. I also remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking time so that any excess liquid can evaporate. The previously frozen mashed potatoes are creamy and light and delicious. If you're short on time or it you just like to have some of the meal prepared in advance, give these mashed potatoes a try - just make sure that you have enough to go around.
Ciao!  The holidays are approaching which means that things are about to get a whole lot busier for me. But trust me I know, you don't have to work as a chef to experience the busyness and the increased work load that comes with November and December.
No complaints here though - when business is good - the chef is happy. The only problem is that I have to devote so much of my time to preparing food for other people that the meals that I prepare for my own family - lack all originality. Don't get me wrong, Mmy family doesn't complain about eating messed up spinach phyllo cups and cake scraps for dinner but I still feel guilty about not having healthy meals for them. This year, I am going to try and plan ahead with some quick and easy meals that I can make for Ben and Courtney even when I'm at my busiest.  Broccoli and cheddar stuffed potatoes are the perfect choice. 1. They are healthy. 2. They fill your tummy with warm, cheesy goodness on a cool night. 3. They are topped with a vegetable. 4. My family will eat them. I found this recipe came in a Cooking Light magazine. When life gets hectic at your house (and you know it will) these are a must.  Broccoli and Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes 4 baking potatoes 1 Tablespoon oil 3 ounces thick cut ham, diced 2 Tablespoons minced onion 1 cup milk 2 Tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups broccoli florets Clean potatoes, pierce with a fork, wrap in foil and place in a 450 degree oven for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing in half.
Combine 1/4 cup milk and flour. Add to pan.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook 4 minutes. Drain.
Top with broccoli.  By the way - these stuffed potatoes make great lunches too.
Ciao! |
