November 18, 2010–Kittencal’s Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

I am a big fan of food.com and just as big a fan of one of their contributors, Kittencal!  If you visit the site, just type in her moniker and you will find a diverse host of her recipes that are just r e a l l y good ideas!  One such recipe is what I made for the family tonight–Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole.  I served up this Americana dish with a pitcher of sugar-free lemonade and some satisfying original recipe Rice Krispie Treats for dessert.  With 418 reviews of this recipe and a 5-star rating, how could I go wrong?  You know what?  I didn’t!  What’s more….I am thrilled to be interviewing Kittencal herself tomorrow for an EXAMINER article.  This is one talented lady and I can’t wait to chat with her!

KITTENCAL’S CHICKEN CRESCENT ROLL CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 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){I used heavy 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) {I used yellow, but will probably try green next time as one reviewer recommended}
• 2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped ( or use about 2 cups, can use cooked turkey){I used my food processor}
• 1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt ( or use 1/2 teaspoon white salt or to taste){Because of the soup, I recommend omitting}
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ( or to taste)
• 2 -4 tablespoons mayonnaise or 2 -4 tablespoons whipping cream{I used heavy 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).
8. Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste.
9. Unroll the crescent rolls.
10. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end.
11. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.
12. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
13. 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.
14. Bake for about 30 minutes.

This is a rich, delicious, down-home style meal.  The family loved it and I will definitely be making it again as well as other recipes offered by Kittencal.  (Her Chicken Balls with Sweet and Sour Sauce is to die for and a recurring staple in my home!)

November 17, 2010–Beef Keema with Pearl Couscous and Naan

One of many things that I appreciate about my family is their uncanny openness to trying new things including fragrant Indian dishes such as this.  I found this recipe on FOOD.COM (one of my favorite recipe websites) contributed by Jane Gibb in November 2003.  Don’t let the list of ingredients or spices intimidate you.  This is quite simple to prepare and deliciously flavorful.  My 5 and 6 year old daughters loved this tonight and Phoebe (5) asked for seconds!  Toasted pearl couscous is a staple in my home.  The kids love it, it compliments most dishes, it is SO easy and due to its round and chewy texture, it is really fun to eat!

BEEF KEEMA

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil(I got by just fine with one TB of olive oil)
• 1 large onions, chopped
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped (I grated mine)
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef  (I used two)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 cup sour cream)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (I did not use this tonight)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro(I did not use this tonight)

DIRECTIONS

1. In large deep frying pan, heat oil over moderate heat.
2. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes.
3. Sitre in garlic and ginger and cook 1 more minute.
4. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.
5. Drain fat (if desired).
6. Add coriander, cumin, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and 1 tsp of the salt.
7. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
8. Stir in potatoes, yogurt/sour cream and milk.  Cover.
9. Bring to barely a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
10. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes more.
11. Stir in frozen peas and 1/2 tsp salt…taste.  Continue to salt to taste.
12. Simmer about 2 minutes.
13. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro.

PEARL COUSCOUS (this can be found in the bins of the whole foods section of your local grocery store)

Heat approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan.
Once it is hot, add 1 cup uncooked pearl or Israeli couscous.
Coat the couscous beads in oil and saute until toasted brown.
Add 1 1/4 of chicken broth to pan.  BE CAREFUL–it will pop and sizzle at you!
Immediately place top over saucepan and reduce heat so that it will not boil over, but will continue to simmer.
Simmer for approximately 5-8 minutes until liquid has evaporated.
Remove from heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff and serve.

NAAN

No need to panic!  I did NOT make homemade naan from scratch!  I bought the packaged HEB (grocery store) brand and with tongs, flipped it to and fro over my flaming gas stove fire until it was thoroughly heated and a bit charred.  Tasted just like the stuff you get at a restaurant.  NOTE:  Fellow Houstonians, my absolute FAVORITE Indian food restaurant is SHIVA located on Times Blvd. in The Village.  The best goat, the GREATEST KHEER, and some pretty incredible naan!

Dessert tonight was good, but not great.  I quickly put together a peach cobbler.  The other night, I made the most yummy blueberry cobbler and applied the same science, if you will, to the peach…..I think I need to find a new peach cobbler crust recipe.  More on that upon discovery!

November 16, 2010–Jambalaya

At my hubby’s suggestion, I am beginning this blog.  I am the very proud mother of five beautiful daughters as well as a contributing writer for EXAMINER.COM (Houston Cooking Examiner) and he thought it would be a good idea for me to post my daily MOMMY MENU in this type of forum.  Quite honestly, I started our household MOMMY MENU because I wanted to alleviate the number of times per day I was asked, “What’s for dinner?”  SO, each week I post on our refrigerator what we will be having Monday through Friday and I shop for the week, typically all at once–barring any forgotten ingredients discovered later.  Everything I cook is quite honestly with the love that I have for my family in mind.  I revel in making their favorite dishes, or new items that I know they will enjoy.  Of course, because of this passion of mine, my weight fluctuates almost as much as a Texas winter (um….A LOT!), but at the end of the day when my family is gathered around the dinner table enjoying a meal, sharing commentary on the day’s events and relishing each  others’ company…well, for me it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Tonight, I made a quick jambalaya.  I am the Daisy (young Girl Scouts) Leader for two of my daughters and we had a meeting this evening, so the prep went a little something like this:

1. Pour a little olive oil in a  pot and heat
2. Coarsely chop up a yellow onion.  Toss it into the heated oil
3. Coarsely chop up about 3/4 of a green bell pepper.  Toss it into the pot
4. Finely chop up about 2-3 stalks of celery.  Toss it into the pot
5. Saute mixture for about 3-5 minutes
6. Add 2-3 LARGE cloves of fresh garlic, minced.  Saute for about a minute
7. Pour in about 1 cup of chicken broth.  Simmer and allow veggies to boil down a bit
8. While the veggies are boiling down, slice into circles a complete link sausage (I used beef) and begin to saute in frying pan.  Char it a bit
9. While it is charring, add a standard can of crushed tomatoes to veggie mixture
10. Add the following spices to the veggie mixture while simmering-  Tony Chacheres’, Garlic Powder, Minced Onion, Paprika, and if you have them, throw in a couple of bay leaves.  Stir
11. Toss in cooked/charred sausage circles/wipe out frying pan
12. Pour about 1 TB of olive oil in frying pan.  Heat
13. Add 2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp.  Saute with Tony Chacheres, a bit of garlic powder (a very little bit) and parsley flakes.  Cook through
14. Add to veggie/sausage mixture
15. Serve over steamed white rice (I used a steamer)

The BANANA CREAM JELLO instant pudding box has a FABULOUSLY easy banana pudding recipe right on the box.  It was the perfect ending to a quick Cajun meal!