The Blog Was Looking Lonely....

so I thought I'd add the following easy, fast recipe for pizza crust:

1 package dry yeast dissolved in 1 c. lukewarm water

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. olive oil

2  1/2 c. flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water.  In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add water/yeast mixture and olive oil, stirring to combine.  Knead until smooth and well-blended.

Let rise for 10 minutes in a warm place, free from draft.

Spread a few tablespoons of olive oil on a cookie sheet or pizza pan, then pat out the dough on the cookie sheet.  Add pizza sauce, cheese and the toppings of your choice.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is lightly browned.

Wendy Says: I always use at least a cup of whole-wheat flour, and the crust is still soft and delicious. 

Ritz Chicken

Okay, I haven't posted in ages, but here's a good quick, easy recipe for you all.  I got it from a cookbook I got as a bridal shower gift.  It's pretty much just a collection of the Huffman family's favorite recipes.  (Note, I do not know who they are, but somehow one of my mother's recipes ended up in there.)

There are no exact measurements to this, so it's a little bit of trial and error.

Ingredients

Chicken breasts (as many as you need for however many people you have)

Ritz crackers* (1.5-2 sleeves should do it for three to four chicken breasts)

Grated parmesean cheese (in the bag or fresh, not in the can)

Garlic powder

Seasoning salt

Pepper

Butter

Cut your chicken breasts up into strips or nuggets, whatever you want.  You could probably even leave them whole.  Crush up the crackers and add the remaining ingredients (except butter).  I use a  big ziploc bag with the zipper closure, makes things so much easier.  Melt some butter in a dish.  Dunk the chicken in the butter, toss the pieces in the bag, close it up and shake to coat.  Put chicken on a cookie sheet.  Preheat your oven to 350.  Bake chicken for about 30-40 minutes.

*I use the low sodium Ritz.  You add quite a bit of salt with the seasonings.

Chicken Enchiladas

I got this recipe from my college roommie Eva. Whenever I make it for my family I always think of her and the delicious things she made us whilst in college. When I got married this was one of the recipes I tentatively tried out on my husband, hoping with crossed fingers and bated breath that he would like it, and he did! When we were first married we made it all the time. He would hold the tortillas while I spooned the filling in and then he'd roll them up and put them in the pan. So, I always think about that, too, when I make these.

You Will Need:
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
Milk (enough to fill soup can 1 time)
1 small can green chilis
Tortillas
A whole heap of grated cheddar cheese.

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix chicken, soup, milk, chilis and half the cheese. Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll them up and stick them in a 9x13 pan. Pour remaining mixture over the enchiladas and cover with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Makes up to 10 enchiladas.

*This can also be adjusted so that you can make more or less. When I make it for us I only make about 5 and put them in a 9x9 pan. Be sure to spray the pan so they don't stick!

Chicken Pot Pie

This comes from Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

Ingredients

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots

1/3 cup butter or stick margarine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 1/2 to 3 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey

Pastry for 9 inch two-crust pie

1. Rinse frozen peas and carrots in cold water to separate; drain.

2. Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper.  cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in broth and milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in chicken and peas and carrots; remove from heat.

3. Heat oven to 425.

4. Make pastry.  Roll two-thirds of the pastry into 13 inch square.  Ease into ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches.  Pour chicken mixture into pastry-lined pan.

5. Roll remaining pastry into 11 inch square.  Cut out designs with 1 inch cookie cutter.  Place square over chicken mixture.  Arrange cutouts on pastry.  Turn edges of pastry under and flute.

6. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Since I am pastry impaired I used ready made pie crusts I found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store (by the biscuits and roll out cookies).  I didn't take the time to roll it out to the correct dimensions, so it didn't fit very well and wasn't very pretty, but tasted delicious anyway.  I also used dried onion instead of fresh.  If you use dried onion be sure to reconstitute it according to the package.  

Mustard-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

This could be one of the best chicken dishes on the planet. It is DELICIOUS. It came from Real Simple Magazine, which you will learn is one of my favorite places to get recipes.

1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I buy a cut-up chicken to save myself some work)
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
salt and pepper
4 small carrots, cut in half crosswise
1 medium fennel bulb, cut into wedges
1 red onion, cut into wedges
8 sprigs thyme (I use 1-2 teaspoons of dried thyme)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Combine the mustard, soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat.

Combine the carrots, fennel, onion, thyme, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a roasting pan.

Nestle the chicken among the vegetables.

Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Divide the chicken and vegetables among individual plates.

Wendy says: Spring for the whole-grain mustard. It's worth it.
Goes well with: brown rice, risotto, quinoa, couscous
This meal is freezable.