Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

I've made this recipe three times... each time learning something and correcting it and I think last night I got it just about perfect. This is a modified version of Paula Deen's Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie... tweaked to my tastes. The original recipe was for a smaller dish (this one is a 9x13) and it came out rather dry.... I think I prefer the bready-topping to the traditional chicken pot pie. Here is my version if anyone is interested. I had to type up the changes for my cookbook (I keep a word document with all my recipes in it): and figured I'd post it here as well:

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 small bag frozen peas and carrots
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
salt, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper
1 1/2 cups bisquick
1 cup milk
2 TBSP melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a greased 9x13 casserole layer chicken, eggs, carrots and peas. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste and season (rather heavily- I'd guess it was at least a 1/2 tsp, just until there is a decent dusting over the whole thing) with poultry seasoning. Mix the soup and chicken broth in a small bowl and pour over layers (I also added 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning to the soup mix). Stir together biscuit mix and milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle the top with melted butter and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.

I served this with a side of Lima Beans

Chocolate Chip (Cookie) Pie

Okay, another recipe.

First off let me say I am not a baker. I like to cook, but finding the 'perfect' cookie recipe isn't something I enjoy doing. I do love very easy, simple, yummy meals/desserts/appetizers/etc. So basically anything easy is what I like to do! But it has to taste like it was hard to make! (smile)

Second, I barely find time to cook dinner more than twice a week so baking is something I just don't do. I'm not sure what got in to me tonight but I decided I felt like baking! I put Caden in his high chair with his grilled cheese sandwich and started mixing!

Let me just say this recipe is REALLY yummy! It's probably best right out of the oven (like all chocolate chip cookies are) but I'm sure it will still be yummy at Bible Study tomorrow night! It basically tastes like a giant soft chocolate chip cookie! Oh, and I opted to top mine with some creamy vanilla ice cream instead of the whipped cream in the picture/recipe.

On a funny note, I was glancing at the recipe just now I realized I accidentally omitted the salt! Good thing this cookie/pie was still yummy! Do you see why I don't bake! The salt part probably came when Caden was frantically signing "more" in his high chair! And one last note... I used a toothpick to check for done"ness"... worked like a charm!

Follow the link below and enjoy!

Thanks Paula Deen for another keeper!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paulas-home-cooking/chocolate-chip-pie-recipe/index.html

Beef Taco Ring

I have always loved cooking... well, maybe not always but in my adult life I have really come to enjoy trying new methods/recipes/etc. Since becoming a Mommy I don't experiment as much as I used to and I miss it! It's just hard cooking with a little man roaming the house. He's one smart cookie... he knows when I'm preoccupied and he always uses those times wisely and explores and investigates "off-limits" things.



I've been hoping to post recipes on my blog for a long time. I LOVE when people share recipes with me, especially when they are practical, simple ones for Mom's with little time on their hands. In the spirit of loving to 'receive' recipes, I thought I'd start sharing! Maybe inspiring some of my other blogging buddies to start sharing some of their own as well! (wink, wink!)



So, for my first recipe I thought I'd share what I tried last night. Most of you have probably heard of Pampered Chef. If you're an avid fan then you will already know this recipe. Still, it was my first attempt at any kind of Pampered Chef recipe and it was SO easy and turned out perfectly. I was proud of my attempt so I took pictures to show those of you afraid of trying this just how easy it is! A very fast meal to throw together! Here goes:

Beef Taco Ring

1 lb lean ground beef
1 package (1 1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix
1 3/4 cups (7ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tablespoons water

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and tomato, sliced olives and sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cook ground beef in skillet over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat (I transferred to a new bowl). Stir in taco seasoning mix, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and water.Scoop filling evenly over crescent rolls arranged as the photos show (use a pizza stone or an aluminum pizza tray). Finish shape as shown in photos. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with toppings.

On a round pizza/cookie sheet or baking stone arrange crescent triangles following the curve of the circle. Overlap wide ends of triangles and press together. Then scoop meat by spoonfuls and arrange on the wide part of the 'ring.'

Take the points of the triangles and wrap them over the meat and tuck them under the wide ends of the triangle as shown. The meat mixture should be relatively firm, do not concern yourself with covering the meat, it won't fall out! :)

This is your finished ring. Brush with egg white and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top as directed.

And Voila!

After baking for about 20 minutes here is your beautiful ring!