Tomato & Basil Chicken and Cashew Rice Pilaf

My garden is overflowing with basil. I have been searching for recipes that uses this great stuff.  I had this for the first at my cousin's home, and I loved it. This is her sisters recipe.  It was so simple with such great flavors. The chicken is great, but the rice is ridiculously good. The crunch of the cashews is so great.  Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. 

Tomato and Basil Chicken 

by Stephanie Jensen

1 T. Butter
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 can (14 oz.) Italian seasoned tomatoes (if not already cut up, coarsely chopped)
1/2 c. julienned FRESH basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat butter in skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, 5 min. Increase heat to high; add tomatoes and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, 5-10 min. Add cream and bring to boil; boil until slightly thickened, approx 3 min. Stir in basil, salt and pepper. Arrange chicken in shallow baking dish; pour sauce on top. Bake for 20-25 min.(Serves 4)

Cashew Rice Pilaf

by Stephanie Jensen

1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. uncooked regular long grain rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1/2 c. cashews, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. chopped FRESH parsley


In large saucepan, melt butter. Sauté onion until soft. Add rice; stir until coated. Stir in broth and salt. Cover; simmer 24-30 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cashews and parsley.(Serves 4)

Calzones

I am a sucker for a good calzone.  There is something about cheese, dough, and sauce that makes my heart happy. Maybe that is why I love pizza so much. These calzones freeze great and make a great freezer meal or lunch for my husband. The filling inside is up for interpretation. The inspiration for these calzones came from my freshman year in college. My man and I were dating and would go to the Cougar Eat at BYU and we would always get the cheese calzone with alfredo sauce. We would eat and study and because of our youthful metabolism it wouldn't matter on the hips. So grab a fork and enjoy these great calzones.

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 cups flour

Fill your stand mixer with warm water and mix the sugar and yeast in. Cover for 10 minutes and let it get bubbly. Then add salt and 1 cup of flour. Mix. Add 1 cup of flour slowly. Mix. Put your dough hook on mix the remaining flour (you don't need to use all the flour). Spray a bowl with Pam spray and put your beautifully round dough ball in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Wait for it to double in size. Then roll it out in a rectangle shape on a floured surface. Cut 8 equal squares and fill with filling.

Pesto Filling

1 container of pesto (make your own if you so please)
1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese

Mix these together and and place 1/3 cup of filling in each dough square.  Fold your dough around the pesto filling and place on a cookie sheet. Seam Side down. Poke a couple of holes in the top and put in the preheated oven (375 degrees) and cook for 20 minutes.

We serve this with our favorite alfredo sauce

Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

bring to a boil then add. . .

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

bring to boil and then let simmer and thicken.

Chicken and Dumplings

I know that my last post I claimed to be trying to loose weight. This is still true. This doesn't mean that I don't love me some good comfort food! Especially when I have sick kids at home and I am so done with the cold weather. So, I decided to make some great Chicken and Dumplings. I found this recipe on Our Best Bites. It is super easy and tastes so good. So if you are trying to loose weight just exercise portion control and then maybe hit the treadmill for 15 minutes. This is a winner.

Chicken and Dumplings
Recipe by Our Best Bites

6 cups chicken broth (1 1/2 boxes or 3 cans) OR 6 c. water + 6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use 1/2 of a fauxtisserie chicken and it's FABULOUS! You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
1 c. sliced carrots
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. basil
1 14-oz. can evaporated milk (fat free is fine)
1 recipe of Bisquik dumplings (recipe is on the box) or 1 small package of Kluski noodles


In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes and then add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until carrots and celery are tender. When carrots and celery are almost done, add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk. Increase heat to boiling and add noodles or add prepared Bisquik by small spoonfuls (they'll really puff up while they're cooking). Cook until noodles are tender or until dumplings are cooked through (they should appear moist but feel firm; this is after about 4-5 minutes).


Amanda's Dumplings 
 I use these as my dumplings! Super yummy. 


6 Tbsp shortening
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk


Cut shortening into flour, parsley, baking powder, and salt. Do this until it resembles coarse meal. Then stir in milk.

Pasta Milano

A week and a half ago I went and saw the movie, "Eat Pray Love".  I really didn't identify with the movie too much. It is about a recently divorced woman who decided to find herself while traveling to Italy, India, and then Bali. While in Italy she eats her way through the country. Besides desperately wanting to go to Italy for the pure sake of going to Italy. I want to eat my way through Italy. Since I have two children, and I have an ambitious man who is getting his masters degree. Life and funds won't allow me to travel to Italy, just yet. So I will try new recipes that will allow me to pretend that I am eating my way through Italy.  Another thing that I LOVE to do while cooking is finding some of my favorite meals at great restaurants and trying to replicate the goodness. Now, I know that I won't always get close to these meals. However I love trying. This one may be right on. I love Macaroni Grill. My man and I would go all the time and I would always order the same thing. Pasta Milano. So yummy. When I came across this recipe I was stoked. The key to this fantastic meal is the garlic cream sauce. You must use this sauce!!! Roasting your own garlic is so stinking easy here is where you can find out how to do it. I would teach you how, but this tutorial is so easy that there is no reason for it to be repeated.

Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano

Ingredients:

6 ounces Butter

18 ounces grilled Chicken, sliced

12 ounces Sun-dried Tomatoes

12 ounces Mushrooms, sliced

6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan Cheese

36 ounces roasted Garlic Cream Sauce (Recipe Follows)

36 ounces Bow Tie Pasta

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta as directed on package.
2. Sauté butter and mushrooms about 30 seconds.
3. Add the roasted garlic cream sauce and Parmesan; heat thoroughly.
4. Drain pasta.
5. Add pasta to the sauté pan and mix well.
6. Garnish with Parmesan cheese
7. Serve and Enjoy.
8. Sing Italian Love Songs (Optional)

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients:

1 quart heavy cream

1 head roasted garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons fresh parsley - coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated

Directions:

In a blender process the cream and roasted garlic until smooth.

In a large saucepan, combine garlic cream, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add salt and Parmesan to mixture, stir until sauce has thickened.

Go to Costco and get the rosemary olive loaf and put little plates on your table with olive oil and fresh ground pepper, and you will think that you are there. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when talking about her Naples' pizza, "I am sorry, I am having a relationship with my pizza." Have a relationship with your pasta milano and tell me what you think. 

Almost Famous Chimichangas

I found this recipe in my new Food Network magazine. I am a sucker for any new mexican meal. This is  a wannabe from Chi-Chi restaurant. Remember that restaurant? I loved it as a kid. My grandma would take us there for fried ice cream for our birthday when we were kids. Good times. So try this recipe and let me know what you think. 

Almost Famous Chimichangas

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• 1 small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 15-ounce can refried beans
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
• Mexi-sauce, for topping (see below)
• Shredded lettuce, for topping
• Mexican rice, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold in the ends and roll up.

Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip. Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with rice and the remaining beans.

Make Chi-Chi's Mexi-sauce:

Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil. Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 30 seconds. Stir in two 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (drained and rinsed); cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.