Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie ala ~DKBB~

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.gonnawantseconds.com)

 

original photo from www.gonnawantseconds.com

Filling
3 Tbsp. butter
1 c. sweet onion, diced1 c. carrots, diced
¼ c. celery, diced
⅓ c. + 2 Tbsp. flour
2½ c. chicken broth
1 heaping Tbsp. chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon dissolved
   in ½ c. boiling water
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. cooking sherry
1 c. heavy cream
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
½ tsp. poultry seasoning*
¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves
¼ tsp. ground sage
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder (ONLY if not using pearl onions)
1½ c. frozen peas, thawed
1 c. frozen pearl onions, cooked and drained (optional)
4 c. chicken (or turkey), cut into bite-sized pieces (rotisserie chicken works well, as does leftover turkey)

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large, high-sided cast oven-proof skillet (or Le Creuset-type Dutch oven) over medium-high heat; add diced onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring often, until veggies are tender (about 15 minutes).
• Sprinkle the flour over the veggies, stirring constantly until flour coats veggies evenly; cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the flour; remove skillet from heat.
• Return pan to heat and whisk in chicken broth and dissolved Better Than Bouillon in water; bring this to a boil, stirring and scraping up all brown bits from bottom of pan; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (2 to 3 minutes).
• Stir in Worcestershire sauce, sherry, cream, spices, peas, pearl onions (if using), and chicken; add salt and pepper to taste; simmer to heat through (about 5 minutes).

*If you don’t have poultry seasoning, you can make it: ¼ tsp. ground sage, ⅛ tsp. each ground thyme, ground rosemary, marjoram, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg
 
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
1 pkg. (11.36 oz. box) Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
¾ c. milk
½ c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ c. butter, melted

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together biscuit mix, milk, and cheese; stir just until there are not dry spots in the mix. Set seasoning packet aside.

Assembly

• Using a large spoon, drop the biscuit mix by heaping spoonfuls over the top of the chicken filling; bake for 14-18 minutes, or until edges are bubbling and biscuits are golden on top.
• In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and seasoning packet; brush the tops of the finished pot pie with the seasoned butter. Serve immediately.

Baked Potato Soup ala ~DKBB~

Baked Potato Soup ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.tasteofhome.com)

original photo from tasteofhome.com

4 large baking potatoes
1 medium (or ½ large) onion, diced

⅔ c. butter

⅔ c. flour

¾ tsp. salt

1 tsp. celery salt (or to taste)

½ tsp. white pepper (or to taste)

6 c. milk

1 c. sour cream

6-10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (optional)

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

¼ to ½ c. thinly sliced green onions (optional) 

(Bake potatoes a few hours ahead of time to give them time to cool completely.)

• Preheat oven to 350°F; pierce potatoes several times with a fork; place potatoes on baking sheet and bake until tender, 65-75 minutes. Cool completely.
• Peel and cube cooled potatoes and set aside.
• In a large stock pot, melt butter and sauté onions over medium heat; stir in flour, salt, celery salt, and white pepper until smooth; whisk in milk.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened (about 2 minutes).
• Stir in potatoes and heat through.
• Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole ala ~DKBB~

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.thepioneerwoman.com)

 
¾ cup salted butter, divided

photo from thepioneerwoman.com

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
½ cup Wondra (or all-purpose) flour
4 c. chicken broth, divided
2 to 3 12.5 oz. cans shredded chicken breast
1 to 1½ cups frozen peas
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. white pepper
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
12 oz. savory herb or chicken stuffing mix
1½ tsp. dried parsley

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a Dutch oven, melt 3 Tbsp. of the butter over medium-high heat; add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften; sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
• Gradually stir in 2 cups of the chicken broth; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes; stir in the chicken (with the water it’s packed in), peas, cream, thyme, salt, pepper, and turmeric; return to a simmer and cook for at least 3 minutes more (cook until it thickens significantly, adding more flour if needed).
• Melt the remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in the microwave; stir it into the stuffing mix along with the remaining broth (add broth a bit at a time, you might not need all of it); let this stand for a few minutes so the stuffing mix can absorb the broth/butter (this should be well-soaked but not squishy).
• Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and pour in the chicken mixture; top chicken mixture with stuffing mixture (by the spoonful, covering the top as evenly as possible).
• To avoid a mess in your oven, place the baking dish on a cooking sheet with sides; bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbly around the edges.
• Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving, if desired.

Creamy Alfredo Lasagna Soup ala ~DKBB~

Creamy Alfredo Lasagna Soup ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.smalltownwoman.com)

 

½ lb. ground Italian sausage

photo from
www.smalltownwoman.com

1 small onion, chopped
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups baby spinach, stems removed
5 cups chicken broth
5 lasagna noodles, broken into smallish pieces
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour (I use Wondra)
1 cup milk
½ to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 piece rind from Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (optional)

• Brown sausage in large cooking pot over medium heat.
• Add onions and mushrooms, cooking another 5-6 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Add spinach and garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring.
• Add chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add oregano and basil and broken lasagna noodles, stirring well, and bring to a low boil.
• Cook for 10-12 minutes or until noodles are tender.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat melt butter; whisk flour into melted butter and continue cooking for 1 minute, whisking constantly until mixture is bubbling.
• Slowly whisk in milk until mixture is smooth and thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
• Turn off heat and slowly whisk in cheese; when cheese is fully incorporated and mixture is creamy, slowly whisk into soup mixture.

Serve with garlic bread or a hearty artisan bread.

Japanese Curry ala ~CHB~

Japanese Curry ala ~CHB~

(original recipe from norecipes.com)

Curry

Photo from norecipes.com

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
⅓ c. canola oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. or inch fresh ginger
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2½ tsp. to 3 Tbsp. curry powder (depending on taste and tolerance)
3 c. chicken stock
2 carrots, cut into chunks
½ medium apple, peeled, cored, and grated
2 Tbsp. chunou sauce (2 parts ketchup to 1 part Worcestershire sauce in a pinch)
1½ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns

½ tsp. cumin

1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
¾ to 1 c. frozen peas

Roux
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. flour 

• Clean any large bits of fat or tendon from the chicken and cut into large chunks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix to distribute evenly.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot and shimmering, then add the chicken in a single layer; let chicken brown undisturbed about 5 minutes; flip chicken and let it brown on the other side.
• Turn down the heat to medium-low and transfer chicken to a bowl using tongs, making sure to leave as much oil in the pan as possible.
• Add the garlic and ginger and fry in the oil until it’s not sizzling as much and it reaches a rich caramel brown color.
• Add the onions, stirring to coat with oil; cover with a lid and let the onions steam until translucent and limp (about 10-15 minutes).
• Remove the lid, turn up the heat to medium, and continue frying the onions, stirring constantly until pan contents are reduced to about 1/8 of original volume and it forms a shiny caramel brown paste (20-30 minutes); if the onion starts to stick to the pan before fully caramelized, try scrubbing off the stuck bits with a spatula, and if that doesn’t work, add a tiny bit of water to the area where things are sticking and use spatula to scrape.
• When the onions are fully caramelized, add the curry powder and sauté briefly until very fragrant.
• Return chicken to pot and add chicken stock, carrots, grated apple, chunou sauce, tomato paste, cocoa powder, salt, turmeric, peppercorns, cumin, and bay leaf; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, make the roux by adding the butter and flour to a small saucepan over medium heat; use spatula to stir constantly until bubbling subsides and roux is light brown in color.
• When potatoes are tender, taste and adjust salt to taste; if you like your curry sweeter, you can add some honey to taste.
• Finish the curry by stirring in the roux and green peas; bring to a boil to thicken.
• Serve with hot rice or on top of a bowl of udon noodles.

Vegetarian Moussaka ala ~DKBB~

Vegetarian Moussaka ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from myrecipes.com)

3 peeled eggplants, cut into ½” thick slices
Olive oil
Cooking spray
2 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ c. bulgur
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp. ground cloves
2 c. organic vegetable broth
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained -OR- 1 container fresh grape tomatoes & ½ can fire-roasted
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour (I prefer Wondra for this)
1 c. milk
2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add olive oil to pan and swirl to coat; add chopped onions and sauté for 8 minutes; add garlic and sauté for 1 minute; add bulgur and cook for 3 minutes or until bulgur is lightly toasted, stirring frequently; add spices; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• If using grape tomatoes, add now and allow to blister, if NOT using grape tomatoes, skip this step.
• Stir in vegetable broth, oregano, and canned tomatoes (full can or ½ can, depending upon use of grape tomatoes); bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with whisk until well blended; gradually add milk, stirring constantly with whisk; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently; stir in cheese and salt; remove from heat and cool slightly; add egg, stirring well with whisk.

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Arrange ½ of the broiled eggplant slices in 11x17 inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Spread bulger mixture evenly over eggplant slices; arrange remaining eggplant slices over bulgur layer; top all with milk/cheese mixture.
• Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 475° F; return dish to oven for 4 minutes or until top is browned.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo ala ~CHB~

One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo ala ~CHB~

(original recipe from www.thekitchn.com)

 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 shallot, diced (if desired)
¼ to ½ green pepper, diced (if desired)
Fresh mushrooms, sliced (if desired)
Broccoli florets (if desired)
½ lb. dried orzo pasta (about 1¼ cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. vegetable broth
1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
¼ c. finely grated cheese (Parmesan or Reggiano Parmesan)
Greek seasoning to taste

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering; add the onion (and desired other veggies) and sauté until softened and fragrant (about 3 minutes).
• Add the orzo and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas and bring to a boil; cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently so orzo doesn’t stick, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, (about 10 minutes). If the pasta is not cooked adequately at this point, add a splash of broth to the pot and continue to simmer until it is al dente.
• Stir in the cheese; add Greek seasoning to taste; cook for another minute or two.
• Serve with additional grated cheese as garnish.

Radish Green Dal ala ~DKBB~

Radish Greens Dal ~ala~ DKBB

(original recipe by Jiya Jesh)

When your garden gives you radishes, don’t toss out those radish greens!

4 cups chopped radish greens

1 cup split yellow lentils

1 large onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

4 oz. diced Hatch green chilis

1 tsp. finely chopped ginger

½ tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1 tsp. cumin seeds

¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne

Curry of choice to taste

2 Tbsp. oil

Salt to taste

• Wash the radish leaves thoroughly, then finely chop the washed leaves and set aside.
• Rinse the split yellow lentils; cook per package directions.
• Heat oil in skillet; add mustard seeds; when mustard seed sputter, add cumin seeds.
• When cumin seeds start to crackle and slightly change color, add in the onions, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, curry, and green chilies; sauté until onions are tender; add in tomatoes and fry for 1 minute.
• Add the chopped radish leaves and salt; cover with a lid and cook on medium low until radish leaves are wilted and incorporate (2 to 4 minutes).
• Drain lentils and mash; add to skillet and cook on medium low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to fully incorporate flavors (add water if needed).

Serve with naan.

Curried Chicken, Veggies, and Pineapple ala ~DKBB~

Curried Chicken, Veggie, and Pineapple ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 to 2 cups fresh pineapple, in chunks

Several small peppers, left whole but top/seeds removed (color, kind is all up to you)

Mushrooms (leave whole)

Onion, cut in big chunks

2 to 3 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 to 2 Tbsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. salt

This dish is to be grilled; it can be done with skewers or put into a veggie grill basket. If using wood skewers, place them in a water bath to soak for 30 minutes.

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in large bowl with the peppers, mushrooms, and pineapple (do not add the onion if you are using skewers); toss with coconut oil, curry, cayenne, and salt; let sit at least 30 minutes.
• Prepare the grill; if using skewers, thread chicken, veggies, and pineapple into skewers in an alternating pattern and cook on grill under chicken is cooked through (about 10 to 15 minutes); if using a veggie grill basket, toss all into grill pan over prepared grill; stir or toss often to allow even cooking until chicken is cooked through.
• Serve with rice.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup ala ~DKBB~

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from Cook up Comfort by Eric Greenspan)

1 large can (12.5oz) chicken breast in water

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

½ onion, finely chopped

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cracked pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup orzo (wheat orzo, if you can get it)

2 large eggs

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

• Drain canned chicken, saving the liquid; shred chicken with a fork; set aside.
• Place carrots, celery, onions, salt, and pepper in large pot; add broth and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender (about 20 minutes).
• Add orzo to pot, adjust heat and cook at a high simmer until orzo is tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).
• Whisk eggs, lemon juice, and remaining salt in small bowl until frothy; stirring constantly, gradually add ½ cup of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then slowly stir the egg mixture into the soup pot.
• Add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring often, until heated through (about 5 minutes) – do NOT simmer.

Makes 4 decent sized servings.

Lentil Quiche ala ~DKBB~

 Lentil Quiche ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from WONDER79 on allrecipes.com)

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup dried yellow lentils

2 cups water

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. salt

Cracked black pepper to taste

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Place olive oil and chopped onion in 9-inch deep-dish pie plate; bake for 15 minutes, or until onion is tender.
• Place lentils and water in saucepan and bring to a boil; cook for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender; drain most of the water off, leaving a small amount in pan with lentils; place broccoli florets on top of lentils; cover and cook for about 5 minutes. This will dry the lentils and cook the broccoli.
• Transfer the lentils, broccoli, and tomatoes to the pie plate with the onions and stir to evenly distribute; stir in cheese.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and spices; pour this over the ingredients in the pie plate.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until center is firm when the quiche is jiggled; cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Cheeseburger Salad ala ~DKBB~

Cheeseburger Salad ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe adapted from The Pampered Chef by The Pioneer Woman)

Photo from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 2-4 (amounts in parentheses serves 6-8)

1 (2) lb. ground beef

2½ Tbsp. (⅓ cup) ketchup

½ (1) tsp. yellow mustard

½ (1) Tbsp. spicy mustard

1 (2) Tbsp. barbeque sauce

2 (4) whole hamburger buns

½ (1) stick butter

1 (2) head(s) romaine or other green-leaf lettuce, torn

½ (1) cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 (4) Roma tomatoes, diced

4 (8) whole dill pickle spears, cubed/diced

½ (1) whole onion, thinly sliced or diced

Salt and cracked pepper

• Brown hamburger over medium heat, then remove from heat and drain off the fat; add ketchup, mustards, and barbeque sauce to the meat; stir to combine; taste and add more ow whatever you think it needs; keep warm.
• Cut hamburger buns into 1-inch cubes; melt half the butter in a separate skillet over low heat; add bread cubes and toss to coat; toast croutons in the skillet over low heat 10-12 minutes, adding a bit of the butter every couple of minutes until you’ve used it all (this ensures all the croutons soak up the butter and toast nicely).
• To assemble each salad, pile lettuce on a plate, pile on a good quantity of the meat mixture, top with plenty of grated cheese. Then add diced tomato, chunks of pickles, and slices of onion over the top; sprinkle with warm croutons all around the plate. Top all with salt and pepper as desired.

Shakshuka with Feta ala ~DKBB~

Shakshuka with Feta ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Melissa Clark)

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), seeded and diced
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced or minced (preferred)
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. spicy/smoked paprika
A pinch cayenne
1 c. roasted Roma tomatoes*
Salt (as needed
Pepper (as needed)
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs
Chopped cilantro and hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Tortillas, for serving (optional)
 
*Roasted tomatoes:

• Cut 8 to 10 tomatoes lengthwise and lay out on parchment-lined baking sheet
• Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with Kosher salt and cracked pepper
• Bake at 275° F for 4 (or more) hours.

Roast the tomatoes the day before, and you can leave them in the oven when they are done and cut them up the next morning.

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium-low heat; add onion and pepper; cook until tender; add garlic and cook additional 2 minutes.
• Stir in cumin, paprika, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; then stir in crumbled feta.
• Make divots for eggs and gently crack eggs into them; season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, approximately 10 minutes.

If desired, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce and warm corn tortillas.

Cheesy Steak Bake ala ~DKBB~

Cheesy Steak Bake ala ~DKBB~

(my version of a tried and true recipe)

1 lb. steak tips (or, you can cut a round steak into 1” chunks)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup fontina or gruyere cheese, shredded

6 slices bacon

8 oz. fresh mushroom slices

2 small white onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ Tbsp. herbs de Provence

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: 1 pkg. Simply Potatoes diced potatoes

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Cut bacon into small pieces and fry (do NOT let the bacon get crispy as it will be baked further later); remove from pan and allow bacon to drain.
• In a large skillet over high heat, sear the steak until browned on all sides; if using, add diced potatoes now.
• In bacon pan, remove excess bacon grease, leaving about 1 Tbsp., and sauté onion slices and mushrooms on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste; add garlic in last 2 minutes.
• Place steak pieces (and diced potatoes, if using) in a large baking dish, sprinkle with bacon pieces and sautéed veggie mixture; cover with shredded cheese; sprinkle all with herbs de Provence.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and steak pieces are cooked through.

Serve hot as is or over bed of rice with beef au jus.

The leftovers are wicked good warmed up and served with a poached or fried egg on top. If you did not use the diced potatoes in your recipe, serve this gastric delight over a bed of hash browns.

Southwest Black Bean & Corn Quinoa

Southwest Black Bean & Corn Quinoa ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Lindsay McSweeney in the Feb/Mar 2014 Simple & Delicious magazine)

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium red pepper, diced

1 celery rib, diced

2 tsp. chili powder

⅛ tsp. cumin

⅛ tsp. turmeric

⅛ tsp. coriander

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

Dried cilantro (or you can use fresh minced) to taste

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, red pepper, celery, and seasonings; sauté and stir 5 to 7 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• Stir in vegetable stock and frozen corn; bring to a boil.
• Stir in quinoa; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Add black beans and cilantro, heat through, stirring occasionally.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
• Serve with warm corn tortillas.