Saturday, April 21, 2012

Weekend Supper Club, Round 2, Week 3, Chicken 'n Chili Nachos by Julie

Ingredients:

2-4 frozen boneless chicken breasts - (bag of frozen boneless, skinless breasts in the meat section)
1 bag of tortilla chips (scoops work really well with small kids)
1 bottle bbq sauce - flavoring of your choice.
1 can hormel chili with beans.
1 jar cheese dip - I used tostitios smooth and cheesy dip.
Sour cream - optional
Diced tomatoes - optional
Green onion - optional

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts in crock pot, top with bottle of bbq sauce, set on low and cook for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and can easily shred.
Shred chicken
heat chili on the stove, along with the cheese sauce, place in 2 different pots, cooking until both are heated through.
Place whole bag of chips onto Large plate and top with cheese sauce.
Place shredded bbq chicken on top of chips and cheese, pouring the chili over the chicken.
Top with your desired amount of sour cream, diced tomatoes and green onions.

Enjoy!!!!!

My husband and kids love, love these nachos,(really my kids love anything involving chips...).  I hope you all enjoy as well.

Ingredients you may not have in your pantry:

Friday, April 13, 2012

Weekend Supper Club, Round 2, Week 2: Ice Cream Ball Dessert

This is a really simple dessert and I can't believe I had never made it before but I think you will really enjoy it.  I attended a high-end fundraiser luncheon at River Oaks Country Club benefiting one of the local hospitals here in Houston.  The lunch was great and as usual, heavy for lunch however, they brought out this fabulous, simple dessert that not only looked beautiful and elegant, it was light and perfect after a heavy lunch and/or dinner.

Ingredients:

Ice Cream - any flavor you like, I do think the white ice creams make a prettier presentation than the chocolate because of the contrast, but it really doesn't matter
1 bottle of Smuckers Magic Shell Ice Cream Topper - there are several flavors of this also, I used regular chocolate
Pepperidge Farm Pirouette cookies, also choices here, there are lots of flavors and even other makers of this round rolled cookie, it's just there for the effect so pick what you would like.
Your choice of an ice cream nutty topping or crushed almonds (I used a praline topping from Pampered Chef that Carla had given me).

Directions:

Use a large ice cream scoop to make a medium to large perfectly rounded ball of ice cream, one for each person that you will be serving.  Place them in the freezer on a cookie sheet or flat dish lined with waxed paper to keep it from sticking.  I also covered the top with waxed paper just for protection.  This is where all the work is done ahead of time.  When it's time to serve dessert, pull the balls out of the freezer and put in individual dishes, slowly drizzle the Magic Shell Topper on top in order to cover the entire ball (Magic Shell cannot be stored in the refrig and must be shaken well before each use). Immediately sprinkle your ice cream topping on top before the shell sets up and add the two cookies on the side for pizazz.  I tried to drizzle a little chocolate for decor but it didn't turn out very pretty so I'm anxious to see what you guys do. 

Side note:  If you don't have any cute ice cream dishes they have some really cute pedestal clear ones at Wal-Mart for $1.50, definitely worth the buy.  Have fun and I can't wait to see your pictures.


Ice Cream Extras

Ice Cream Ball

Julie's Ice Cream (and 2 for the babies)
Carla's Ice Cream in Crystal

Monday, April 2, 2012

Easter Recollections

I was giving some thought to Easter food and traditions and decided it would be a good week to have Weekend Supper Club Vacation.  Easter is such a traditional day of eating, it is not necessarily a good time to introduce a new dish to your family.  Instead of sharing a recipe I thought it would be fun to share an Easter memory, tradition, or story. 

I was trying to think back on all my Easter memories and decide, if I had to pick one, which would it be....so I picked three:

When I was a little girl my Mom and Dad used to give us traditional Easter baskets, as well as a new Easter dress, shoes, hat and gloves for church. They would sometimes, also give us a real, live, baby chick (or baby duck).  I can close my eyes and remember how fun it was to hold that little chirping ball of fur that wanted nothing more than to run away from me and poop in my hand... but I didn't care...The bad part of course was that I don't recall more than the first day it arrived, so I'm not really sure what ever happened sto them after Easter. I think that's what everyone did back then (50 years ago).  My parents were both from farming families and the birth of the baby chicks/ducks represented Spring. In the country it was a time when hundreds of little baby chicks were running around on new green grass celebrating the beginning of warm weather.

Second, when JJ was about 3 years old I bought 2 baby chicks for him on Easter.  My kids were saying, "what the heck are we gonna do with baby chicks? you know they're going to grow up and poop all over the place!".  We had a lot of fun with those baby chicks and JJ loved them for the 3-4 weeks we had them (we gave them to a friend of Julie's that had chickens).

Third, when Jen was a little girl, probably getting ready to turn 6, we hid Easter eggs for her around our house in Tucson.  We lived in the foothills area and were surrounded by beautiful desert plants (no yard or grass).  We hid the eggs for Jen around the outside of the house, among whatever small piece of greenery or sparse plantings we could.  When she began to look for them she peeked behind a small green bush and stirred up a small nest of baby desert cottontails.  She thought it was the Easter Bunny of course and we couldn't have planned it any better if we tried.  I can still see her face when she saw those baby bunnies lying there.

Traditions are so different and interesting for everyone, I would love for you to take the time and share a story that comes to mind of an Easter in your past.  I will post my next recipe at the beginning of next week and we will resume WSC.  Thanks so much for playing along with me here.  I love you guys and Happy Easter!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Weekend Supper Club, Round 2, Week 1; Liz Moreland
"Arizona Should Have Made It To The Tournament Hot Artichoke Dip"

Due to the NCAA Playoffs this upcoming weekend, Liz submitted a great appetizer/dip perfect for a party! We do have some KY fans at our house however!

Ingredients:

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 can drained artichoke hearts
Paprika

Directions/Comments:

This is such a yummy and easy dip to throw together. I wouldn't use anything but mayo with this dish, Miracle Whip just won't do.

It's my "go to" for potlucks and gathering with friends. My Mom has been making this one for cocktail parties for over 25 years!

Set oven to 350. In a bowl mix the cheese and mayo together and set aside. Chop the artichoke hearts, pour the hearts in the bowl with the mayo and cheese, Mix. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish (I use a ceramic tortilla holder because it has a lid and is easy to transport). Sprinkle on the paprika, Bake about 15-20 mins until bubbly. I usually serve it with crackers.

Liz's Artichoke Dip

Carla's Artichoke Dip


Cindy's Artichoke Dip

Cute dish from Target for dip


Friday, March 23, 2012

Weekend Supper Club Week 5: Family Style Swiss Steak, from Carla Davis

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons flour
1 large size oven cooking bag
1 (14 1/2oz) can original style stewed tomatoes
1 (10 1/2oz) can condensed beef broth
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (1 1/2 to 2 lbs) boneless round steak
3 medium carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place flour in cooking bag; twist end and shake to coat inside. Place bag in a 13X9X2 inch baking pan. Add tomatoes, broth, onion and pepper; squeeze bag to blend ingredients.  Cut steak into serving size pieces and place in bag in single layer. Place carrots in bag around steak. Close bag with nylon tie; cut 6 slits 1/2 inch long in top. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until steak is tender. Serve over rice or potatoes.

Carla's Swiss Steak

Cindy's Swiss Steak

Jaimie's Swiss Steak

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Weekend Supper Club Week 4; White/Phat Chick Enchiladas via Jaimie Petty

This is a very easy dish to make on days when you don't want to step on the scale!

Ingredients:
1 whole fryer chicken
12 flour tortillas-Fajita size
2 cans of cream of mushroom, or chicken soup
4 oz of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup of sour cream
1.5 cups of Monterey Jack cheese
Salt, pepper and chili powder to taste

Directions:
Cook the whole fryer chicken in the crock pot for 6 hrs or the usual time you would cook a chicken, season lightly with salt, pepper and chili powder.
After chicken is fully cooked, take chicken out of crock pot and place in a bowl to let it cool.
Shred the chicken off the bone and place in a bowl. (This will totally burn your fingers BTW) but it's OK because we all know we've done it before.
Mix the cream cheese and half a cup of Monterey Jack cheese in with the shredded chicken.
In another bowl mix the two cans of soup and the sour cream.
In the bottom of a 8 x 11 casserole dish add a generous layer of the soup mixture
Fill the tortillas with however much chicken mixture you desire. I make them fat because....Hello! they are Phat girl enchiladas!!! Roll them up and throw them in the dish.  They don't have to be as tightly squeezed together like the non-white girl version because the THICK sauce needs to seep in, but you do want to try and fit 12 in a dish. Add the remaiunder of the soup mixture to the enhciladas and bake for 20 minutes
Finally add a cup of cheese to the top and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
I hope you enjoy them as much as my boys do.


Jaimie's Enchiladas


Carla's Enchiladas

Julie's Enchiladas

Liz's Enchiladas

Cindy Enchiladas

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

WSC WEEK 3

Julie has submitted her recipe for Peanut Butter Pie....I can't wait to make it and the picture makes me hungry just looking at it:

PEANUT BUTTER PIE:

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 tblsp peanut butter (creamy)
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups thawed whipped topping
1 12oz jar hot fudge topping
15 chocolate Oreo cookies, with chocolate cream
3 tblsp melted butter

Directions:

Crust:
    Crush cookies to resemble fine to coarse crumbs (food processor, or with rolling pin)
Melt butter and add to cookie crumb mixture, mix and press into pie dish.
Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, let cool completely.

Pie:
    With electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese and 1 cup peanut butter unitl thoroughly mixed.
Gently fold/mix in 3 cups thawed whipped topping until completely combined.
Spoon mixture into cooled pie crust, smooth edges to cover whole pie.
Reserve 2-3 tblsp of hot fudge topping in plastic sandwich bag, heat remaining hot fudge in microwave for 60 seconds, stir.
Spread hot fudge topping over entire peanut butter pie.
Refrigerate until hot fudge has begun to set.
Spread remaining thawed whipped topping onto pie, being careful not to mix layers.

Topping:
    Place 2 tblsp peanut butter into sandwich baggie, cut corner of bag and squeeze bag to drizzle on top of pie.
Cut corner of bag containing the hot fudge and do the same, drizzle hot fudge in opposite direction of peanut butter.
Refrigerate until set, and ready to serve.


ENJOY!!!



Cindy's Pie

Liz's Show-off Pie

Carla's Pie

Julie's Pie


Monday, February 27, 2012

WSC Week 2, Mike's Favorite Lettuce Wraps

This recipe has 3 different parts; the main filling portion and two different sauces that can be made ahead of time if you wish:

Sauce 1

1/4 c sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard powder
2 tablespoons water
1-2 teaspoons garlic and red chili paste

Stir Fry Sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Mix together and set aside


Lettuce Wrap Ingredients
3 tablespoons oil (I used canola)
about 1 pound ground chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts (1 can seems to be just right)
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves lettuce, iceberg, romain, butter..whichever kind works for you

Directions:

1. Make the Sauce 1 by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.  I placed mine in a plastic container with a lid so that I could shake it.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well, add more or less water/mustard powder until it has the consistence of regular yellow mustard
5.You will later add your desired measurement of this mustard and the garlic chili sauce to the Sauce 1 mixture to pour over the wraps...kinda like salsa on a taco. 
6. Cut/mince mushrooms and water chestnuts to about the size of small peas.
7. Bring oil to med heat in a large frying pan
8. Begin cooking ground chicken and cook until almost done and then add the onion, mushrooms, water chestnuts...you may have to add a little more oil for stir-frying this but do not over-cook the added veggies, you want them crisp-tender.
9. Add in the prepared stir-fry sauce and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce wraps.
10.  Use Sauce1 as your main sauce adding the chili garlic past and hot mustard to taste, be careful here and start out sparingly, they are both pretty hot but super flavorful.  Add this to your lettuce wrap after filled with meat mixture.
11.  I used rice crispy noodles for topping the wraps, (Liz's recomendation) and it really made it nice and crunchy.
12. We usually have plain white rice with the wraps, Mike adds the sauce to his rice.

All of the pictures I took of Mike and I making this dish disappeared off my camera...ugh!  I will try and recover them somehow and add them later.  I hope you like these, it is a favorite at the Adkins House.  Enjoy.

Cindy's Lettuce Wraps



David Eating Carla's Lettuce Wraps

Monday, February 13, 2012

Weekend Supper Club Week 1: Liz Moreland
Liz's Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium sweet onion chopped
2-3 cups chopped white mushrooms
1 package fresh Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage links (approx 1.25 lb)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
2 14.5oz can diced tomatoes (Italian seasoned is good)
1 1lb8oz jar spaghetti sauce (any brand)
½ cup red wine
1tbs balsamic vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (5in each)
1 lb dried penne pasta
½ cup parmesan cheese
3 cups mozzarella
¾ cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs
Salt
Tin foil
Non-stick cooking spray

In the first large pot, fill with water. Add 1 tbs olive oil and salt the water. Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add your penne and cook until al dente. When ready, drain the pasta and set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Turn range to medium heat. In a large sauce pan or dutch oven sweat the chopped onion in 1 tbs of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes. During that time, remove the turkey sausage from its casings and smush or smash the sausage so it will crumble when cooked. Add the raw sausage to the onion and mushroom mixture and brown the sausage.  Chop the rosemary leaves. Add the rosemary and minced garlic to the sausage mixture and sauté for about a minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic, just soften it up. Have your wine ready because it’s time to deglaze the sausage mixture with the wine. At this point, you will have to guard the sausage mixture from your husband. He will come into the kitchen and try to steal a little taste of dinner. There is not enough for him to keep coming back so tell him he will just have to wait. Ok, turn down the heat to medium low on the sausage mixture. Open and add the canned tomatoes, juice and all to the sausage mixture. Next, add the jar of spaghetti sauce and the balsamic vinegar. Mix all of these ingredients together. Bring it to a simmer. Now it’s time. Fold the cooked penne into the sauce/sausage mixture. Stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and ½ of the parmesan cheese. Pour pasta into the sprayed casserole dish. Top the pasta with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle the Italian Panko on top of the cheese. Spray one side of the tin foil with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the casserole with the sprayed side of the foil.  Bake covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 15 minutes. Enjoy!



                                                    Sausage, Onion and Mushroom Mixture
                                                            Sauce and Sausage Mixture
                                                                  Fold in Penne
                                                                 Out of the oven
                                                            Husband Stealing Dinner
                                                                            Enjoy


                                                       Rosemary From My Garden





Tuesday, January 10, 2012

New supper club

In an attempt to feed my foodie addiction and stay in touch with my friends all over the country, I have decided to put together a supper club...starting with 4 or 5 people we each must provide a recipe that all other supper club members will duplicate over the weekend. Pictures must be submitted by Sunday night and comments made. The following weekends food item must be submitted in enough time for other members to collect ingredients necessary for duplicating the submitted recipe.

Recipes do not need to be original however all recipes from other sources like friends, cookbooks, magazines must be cited and shown where any adjustments are made.

The recipes submitted are for one course only, a main dish, a side dish or dessert but not all three.