Southwest Chicken and Vegetable Soup

I love creating soup from what's in my cabinets and fridge and during this unsettling time in history,  soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods. Throwing some veggies and chicken into a pot and transforming them into a filling and tasty meal is good for the soul.

The first thing I did, was to look into the refrigerator vegetable drawer and see what was available. There were carrots, a jalapeno, 1/2 of an onion, 1/2 of a red bell pepper and a bunch of some sorry looking scallions.  Those items were cleaned, chopped and joined by 3 cloves of garlic.

I grabbed a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and let them thaw for about an hour. Using a sharp knife, I cut them into bite sized pieces, drizzled a little olive oil over them and added 1 tablespoon of  Penzey's Chili 9000. I tossed that together, placed it on a foil lined baking sheet, placed it into a 375 degree oven and roasted for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, I sauteed the vegetables in olive oil with some of the Penzey's Chili 9000. The spice added a Middle Eastern touch to the soup. I also added some Savory Spice Pasilla Negro Chile Powder for a little more heat. I had some Masa in my baking cabinet, so I added it as a thickener. If you don't have Masa, you can leave it out.

This recipe, like most of mine, is meant as a path to create a meal with what is available in your home. Here are links for the spices I used:
penzeys.com
savoryspiceshop.com

Southwest Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2 to 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup chopped white onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

4 large carrots, sliced

6 scallions, sliced

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp Penzey's Chili 9000

1 Tbsp. Savory Spice Pasilla Negro Chile Poweder

4 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp. Masa (optional)

1 can chopped green beans, drained

1 cup frozen vegetable mix, thawed (my blend had corn and black beans)

Saute the vegetables and spices in olive oil until softened. Add chicken stock, cooked chicken and Masa, bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 1 hour.

Add green beans and thawed frozen vegetables, heat through and serve.

Herby Chicken and Butter Bean Soup

I came across this recipe in the February 2014 edition of BBC Good Food. I made a few changes to the recipe, but I'm sure it's pretty close to the original. I know I complained some about how hard it was finding ingredients for my recipes while in England, but the same thing happens here. When I went to my local Price Chopper, there were no butter beans! If you need black beans, pinto beans, baked beans or pork and beans, then Price Chopper is the place to shop. I ended up at Hy-Vee where they actually carry butter beans and I was able to make the soup. This is a good soup, especially when the weather is so cold. Serve it up with a nice green salad and some warm bread.

Herby Chicken & Butter Bean Soup

4 chicken thighs
1.5 liters chicken stock
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
3-4 sprigs each rosemary, sage and thyme, leaves picked and chopped
2 tsp. each ground cumin and coriander
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. anise seeds
400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper, place on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove meat from bones and shred.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large sauce pan. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes until starting to carmelize. Add carrots, herbs and spices and stir for 2 minutes to toast the spices. Add the stock, shredded chicken and butter beans, cook, covered for 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender and blitz the soup, leaving partly chunky. Add thawed peas, heat through and serve.

Chicken Scallopine with Lemon Sauce

My friend Alicia sent me this recipe and it is so good. I prepared it last week to rave reviews! I used 2 chicken breasts for my recipe since I was cooking for two and served it on top of a wonderful lemon rice. I flattened my chicken as much as possible without the correct tools, but the flatter the better. That way you will get an even and quicker cook on the breast. Thanks for the recipe Alicia!


Chicken Scallopine with Lemon Sauce 

4 portions of Veal, Chicken, Pork or Turkey
 2 eggs
2 T milk
 1 t salt
 1 t pepper
flour
½ C white wine
 2 C chicken stock
 1/3 C olive oil
 1/3 C vegetable oil
6 T butter
 1 lemon thinly sliced
1 juice of lemon
 2 T parsley  

Whisk eggs, milk, salt & pepper. 
Heat oils. 
Dredge scallopine in flour, dip in egg mix, pan fry, brown evenly, drain on paper towel.  
Remove pan from heat, discard oil, wipe out pan. 
Add half of butter, melt. 
Add lemon slices, cook until golden, remove. 
Add remaining butter, wine & lemon juice, bring to vigorous boil, syrupy. 
Add stock, boil, reduce by half, about 5 minutes. 
Add scallopine, heat thru & serve, sprinkle with parsley. 

White Chicken Chili

 

This was the perfect chili for the first really cold night of the year. I've had this recipe forever and finally prepared it for the first time last night and was pleased with the outcome. It had a really nice thick consistency and the flavor was not too spicy, but just spicy enough. You can add more chili powder or even try a chipotle chili powder, the original recipe did not call for it, but I wanted a little more flavor. Top it with white cheddar, Monterrey Jack or a a good pepper Jack.

White Chicken Chili

1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped white onion
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 (15oz) can cream-style corn
1 (7oz) can chopped green chiles
2 cups whole milk
1 (15oz) can cannellini beans
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
grated white cheese for topping


In a large sauce pan, heat oil over high heat. Add onion, pepper and jalapeno and cook, stirring often, until onion softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute. Add cumin, chili powder, corn, green chiles, milk and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and top with cheese.

Chicken Tostadas

This great recipe comes from the July 2008

magazine (RIP). This recipe is simple to prepare and quick to make. What did we ever do before rotisserie chickens?

Chicken Tostadas

1 medium white onion

1 lb. tomatoes. quartered

2 large garlic cloves

1 or 2 fresh Serrano chiles, stemmed

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided

1 rotisserie chicken, meat coarsely chopped (4 cups)

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 (1-lb) can refried beans, heated

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream

1/4 cup crumbled queso anejo( I used grated mont. jack instead)

Preheat broiler.

Cut half of onion into 3/4 inch wedges, then chop remainder. Toss onion wedges, tomatoes, garlic and whole chiles with 2 Tbsp. oil in a 4-sided sheet pan, spreading in 1 layer. Broil 4 inches from heat until softened and charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss lettuce, radishes, chopped onion and half of cilantro.

Puree tomato mixture in blender with 1 tsp. salt until smooth. transfer to a bowl and stir in chicken, remaining cilantro and salt to taste.

Heat remaining 1/2 cup oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium -high heat until it shimmers. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, turning once or twice and immersing with tongs, until golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds per tortilla. Drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to plates.

Spread with heated beans and top with chicken mixture. Top with sliced avocados and crema. Mound with lettuce mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

This interesting recipe comes from the now defunct Gourmet magazine's December 2008 edition. You make your own stock for this one, so the recipe does take some time, but it's well worth it. The addition of sweet potatoes is different, but I actually liked it. I ended up using white rice because that's all I had, but try it with brown, I think it would be better.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

For stock:

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

2 onions, coarsely chopped

1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 lb.)

1 head garlic, halved crosswise

3 1/2 qt. cold water

25 cilantro stems

2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

For Soup:

3 whole allspice

1 whole clove

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

1/4 tsp. black peppercorns

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. chipotles in adobo, finely chopped, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce

1 cup short grain brown rice

1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

20 (7 to 8 inch) corn tortillas

6 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 (15 to 19 oz) can black beans, rinsed

2 firm-ripe avocados

2 limes, cut into wedges

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Make stock: Bring all stock ingredients to a boil with 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper in an 8 to 10 qt. heavy pot, thin skim foam.

reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, skimming foam occasionally, 2 3/4 hours.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, then pour stock through fine mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. Reserve 1 cup stock and return remainder to cleaned pot.

Finish Soup: Toast spices in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking occasionally, until fragrant and a shade darker, about two minutes.

Transfer spices to a blender along with onion, garlic, chipotles with adobo, 2 1/2 tsp. salt and reserved stock. Blend until smooth and spices are ground. (use caution blending with hot liquid)

Add puree to stock in pot along with rice and sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until sweet potatoes and rice are tender, about 45 minutes.

While soup simmers, discard skin and bones from chicken and cut or shred meat into bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Stack tortillas and cut into 1/4 inch thick strips, then toss with oil. Spread in one layer on 2 large baking sheets and season with salt. Bake, stirring frequently and switching sheet positions halfway through, until deep golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

When rice and potatoes are tender add chicken and beans to soup and simmer, uncovered, until just heated through.

Meanwhile, quarter avocados lengthwise.

Season soup with salt and pepper, serve with lime wedges, cilantro, avocados and tortillas.

Beer-Can Chicken w/Cola Barbecue Sauce

I came across this recipe in my box of recipes that I someday want to prepare. It's from an older issue of Cooking Light, I'm just not sure which one. This is a good recipe and the cola sauce would work well with any grilled chicken. I couldn't find my beer can chicken holder anywhere, so I used the legs to help stand the chicken up on the grill. It's really is a lot better to use one of the stands, because you don't have to worry about the chicken falling over.

Beer-Can Chicken w/Cola Barbecue Sauce

Chicken:
1 (12 0z.) can beer
1 cup hickory wood chips
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 (4-lb.) whole chicken

Sauce:
1/2 cup cola ( I used Coke, do not use a Diet soda)
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. instant onion flakes
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. steak sauce (A-1)
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Open beer; drink half. Carefully pierce top of can with "church key" can opener several times, set aside. Soak wood chips in water , 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika and pepper, set aside.
Prepare grill for indirect heating, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center. Arrange charcoal around pan; heat to medium.
Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin 2 teaspoons in cavity and 2 teaspoons over skin. Slowly add remaining mixture to beer can. Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert can into cavity.
Drain wood chips. Place half on hot coals. Place chicken on rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod. Cover and grill 2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180 degrees. Add remaining chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed.
Lift chicken using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and place on cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken and carefully twist can to remove. Discard skin and can.
To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to boil. reduce heat and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken.

Chicken Paillards with Basil Cream and Balsamic Vinegar

This excellent recipe comes from the September 1988 Bon Appetit. The sauce on this chicken was so good and really not that difficult to prepare. This one is a perfect company dish.

Chicken Paillards with Basil Cream and Balsamic Vinegar

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 2-oz. piece Muenster cheese
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

rinse chicken and pat dry. Pound each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an even thickness of 1/8 inch, beginning in center and working outward.
Grate cheese and set aside. Place basil in bowl of food processor. Turn on machine. Drop garlic into feed tube and mince. Add oil and salt and mix 5 seconds. ( I found this easier to do in a small processor, the large one did not chop the mixture that well.)
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. brush one side of chicken breasts with half of basil oil. Add chicken to skillet basil side down. Brush tops with remaining oil. Cook until bottom side is just opaque, about 45 seconds. Turn and cook until second side is just opaque, about 45 seconds. Transfer to warm platter, tent with foil to keep warm.
Add vinegar to pan and scrape up any browned bits. Add cheese, cream and any collected juices from platter and stir until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over chicken.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I recently purchased Tyler Florence's new book Dinner At My Place and so far have not been disappointed. The cook book is full of what look like some great recipes. I prepared this chicken soup the other night and it was good and simple. using a store bought rotisserie chicken makes this one a no brainer.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 store bought deli roast chicken
2 Qts. cold water
2 carrots, washed and sliced into circles
3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 bunch fresh thyme sprigs (4 sprigs), leaves only
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dried pasta noodles
1/2 lemon, juice only
1/4 bunch fresh parsley (about 4 sprigs), roughly chopped

Place chicken in large stockpot and add water, carrot, celery, onion, garlic and thyme. Place over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil to extract flavors of chicken. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, then remove chicken. Remove meat from chicken; shred meat. Discard bones and skin. Season chicken stock in pot with salt and pepper; add chicken and pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked. Finish with lemon juice and parsley.

Arroz Con Pollo

I was skimming through The Joy of Cooking searching for something to prepare for dinner when I came upon this recipe. It looked simple enough and I had most of the ingredients, so it became the winner. Once it was done, I was a little disappointed in the recipe. The flavor was okay and the aroma was wonderful, but the rice was a little on the gummy side for me. I will look for another version and try it at a later date. The only thing I did differently was I added 3 cloves of garlic as opposed to 1 tablespoon and I omitted the green olives.

Arroz Con Pollo

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs. chicken parts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 oz. ham, finely diced
2 cups medium or long grain white rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. loosely packed saffron threads
1 cup unthawed frozen peas
1/3 cup drained roasted red peppers cut into 1-inch thin strips

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to platter. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of fat from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion, peppers and ham. Cook , stirring occasionally, until onions are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until all grains are coated with fat. Add garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook , stirring for 1 minute. Add stock, oregano and saffron. Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the bottom to loosen brown bits. Place the chicken in the rice and pour in any accumulated juices. Cover pan and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in peas and red peppers. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

Tequila-Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno

Here is a grilled chicken recipe that is simple to prepare and has an awesome flavor, it's sweet, spicy and smoky. The original recipe calls for using red jalapenos, but my local grocery only had green on this outing. I came across the recipe in the August '07 issue of Bon Appetit and I'm glad that I saved it. Try this one out, it's good cold the next day, too!

Tequila-Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno

1 1/2 Tbsp. whole coriander seeds, coarsely ground

1 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt

1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

1 3 1/2-to 4-lb. cut up chicken

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup gold or silver tequila

2 Tbsp. (packed) golden brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey

1 t0 2 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped

1 shallot, minced

Mix coriander, salt and red pepper. Sprinkle all over chicken. Arrange chicken skin side up on a baking sheet; cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

Combine juice, tequila, honey, jalapenos and shallot in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Cool glaze. Transfer 3 tablespoons to a small bowl and set aside for serving.

Arrange chicken on prepared grill, skin side up. Grill for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush chicken with glaze. Turn chicken over; brush with glaze. Grill until juices run clear when pierced with a fork, turning and brushing with glaze, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and spoon reserved glaze over top.

White Chicken Chili

I think I originally came across this recipe in an advertisement for cheese. I have made alterations to it and this the recipe I now use. You can use any type of white beans in this recipe, I wanted to try butter beans because I've never had them. You could also use ground turkey in this recipe, but I find those packages of pre-cooked chicken save so much time on a week night.

White Chicken Chili

1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
2 cups whole milk
1 (15 oz) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. cooked chicken, chopped
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar, shredded

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook until onion is limp , stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cumin, white pepper, corn, green chiles, milk and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and stir occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes, stir in chicken and season with salt. Stir in cheese and serve.

Campanelle with Chicken and Peas

This recipe was adapted from one I found on www.discoverbarilla.com. Their recipe uses farfalle and did not have chicken. Since I didn't have any farfalle, I used campanelle. Campanelle is my favorite pasta shape and means bell flower. I have made other versions of this pasta, but this one is very simple and good.

Campanelle With Chicken and Peas

1 box (1 lb.) campanelle pasta

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

3 oz. prosciutto, diced

6 oz. cooked chicken

1 1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water. Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add prosciutto, peas and chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Add wine, simmer until reduced by half. Stir in half and half, cream and cheese, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan.

Chicken, Broccoli and Penne Casserole

I made this casserole on Sunday night and it was okay, nothing to special. The recipe comes from the April/May 2008 Cook's Country. To me the casserole was really nothing more than a glorified canned soup recipe. It wasn't bad it was just boring. The magazine's recipe called for ziti, but penne was the pasta I had on hand.

Chicken, Broccoli and Penne Casserole

4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. melted

Salt and pepper

1 lb. Penne Pasta

1 onion, chopped fine

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white wine

3 cups whole milk

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices

12 oz. broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

Pulse bread, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup Asiago and melted butter in food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 Tbsp. salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until nearly al dente. Drain in colander and rinse under cold water until cool.

Melt remaining butter in empty pot over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining cheese.

Microwave broccoli, covered, in a large bowl until bright green and nearly tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir broccoli and drained pasta into pot and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 13 by 9 baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Fizzy Chicken w/Lemon Vinaigrette

This recipe comes from Issue 63 of Cuisine at Home. It looked interesting, so I decided to try it out last night. Flavor wise it was good, it just seemed like a lot of trouble and mess and I probably would not make it again. I would make the vinaigrette again and use it over grilled chicken.

Fizzy Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
1/2 cup club soda
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine lemon juice, honey, chives and mustard in a bowl. Drizzle in a 1/4 cup oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Add salt to taste. Trim chicken breasts of fat and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, then saute in 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and saute for 2 more minutes.
Deglaze with club soda, reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter and pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until liquid is syrupy, about 5 minutes; turning chicken to coat. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. Serve topped with vinaigrette.

Ranch Chicken Pizza

I came across this recipe while looking up a recipe on the Internet for my mom. It looked pretty interesting, so I decided to try it out last night. The recipe called for a 3 ounce package of cream cheese, which I never even knew existed.

The pizza turned out really good. I think the roasted red peppers really made the pizza taste great. Their recipe called for a 2 1/4 ounce can of sliced ripe olives which I omitted, I also added some chili puree to my mixture to spice it up just a little bit. This recipe came from the Hidden Valley people and calls for the original dressing, I used the light version on my pizza.

Ranch Chicken Pizza

1/2 cup light Ranch reduced fat dressing

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. chili puree

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1 (12 inch) prepared pizza crust

1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mild Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine dressing with cream cheese, tomato paste and chili puree. Stir in chicken; spread onto crust. Arrange peppers and onions on pizza; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Chicken Pasta w/Sun-dried Tomatoes

I came across this recipe in my February 2008 Cuisine at Home. The recipe called for pappardelle pasta, but my store did not have it, I used a nice wide fettuccine instead and it worked perfectly. I changed the recipe a little, they call for using 2 thick slices of bacon and I used pancetta instead. This was a nice pasta that reminded us of eating stroganoff.

Chicken Pasta w/Sun-Dried Tomatoes

8 oz. dry pappardelle or fettuccine
3 oz. slice of pancetta, cubed
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and minced
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces (12 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.
Saute pancetta in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until garlic starts to brown, 1 minute.
Deglaze with wine, scraping bottom of skillet. Stir in broth, cream and pasta and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Top with dried parsley and freshly grated cheese is so desired.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

I prepared this recipe last week. It's a pretty simple weeknight recipe, but I think it could have been better if prepared the night before and baked the next day. It could also stand the addition of a can of black beans, rinsed, and added when you add the corn and some fresh green onion added as a garnish would be good. This recipe comes from Tables of Content from the Junior League of Birmingham, Alabama. My friend, Stacey, gave me the book and this is the first recipe that I have attempted from it. It's one that I would make again.



Chicken Tortilla Casserole


1 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish



Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken, onion and garlic. Saute 8 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the sour cream, 2 cups of Cheddar, Montery Jack and 1/4 cup cilantro in a bowl and mix well. Line the bottom of a lightly greased 2 1/2 to 3 qt. baking dish with 1/3 of the tortillas, tearing as needed to completely cover bottom. Layer with 1/3 of the chicken mixture, 1/3 of the corn and 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat the process 2 more times. Sprinkle with 1 cup of Cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Catalina Chicken

I came across a recipe amongst some old recipe cards that I have collected along the years. The recipe called for a 3 pound chicken cut up, an 8 ounce bottle of creamy Russian dressing, an 8 ounce jar of apricot jam and an envelope of dry onion soup mix. I could not find the Russian dressing, so I decided to try out this recipe instead. It tasted great, but next time I would use boneless-skinless breasts and thighs in order to keep the some of the fat out of the dish.

Catalina Chicken

3 to 3 1/2 lb. chicken, cut up

1 (16 oz) bottle Catalina dressing

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Place dressing and soup mix in large resealable plastic bag and mix. Add chicken to coat, place into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce a couple of times.

Zuk's Pacific Tango Sauce

A few weeks back, Green Acre's Market celebrated their 1 year anniversary at Briarcliff Village. One of the vendors sampling their wares was the creator of Zuk's sauces, Wendy. We tried them all and bought the Pacific Tango sauce, although we liked all of the one's we sampled. It's a very thick, garlicky-ginger sauce that I thought would be great on grilled chicken. I basted my grilled chicken with the sauce at the end of it's cooking time and was pleased with the results. The sauce has a very nice flavor and if you like ginger and garlic, you'll love it. You can check out the website at http://www.zuksdelights.com/.