Balsamic Mushroom Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta

This tasty dish is served in one pan... allowing you to tidy up the kitchen while the pasta is finishing in the sauce. It is easy to make this dish serve more or less by deciding first how many chicken breasts you will need.  If you want to double this to serve this to a family, start with a large heavy pot rather than a fry pan. 

Serves 3 - 4 

• 20 large white button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces.
• 2 tablespoons oil  (olive or avocado oil)
• 1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar  (go ahead and try various flavours.  I used fig on this day)
• 1  1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound / 225 grams angel hair pasta
• fresh broccoli

1. Slice button mushrooms and add to pan along with the butter and garlic cloves.  Stir occasionally on medium heat until the liquids begin to release from mushrooms and then turn mushrooms to medium low and allow to simmer until the liquid has cooked away and the mushrooms have browned.  Once the garlic cloves have softened, smash them with a fork. Remove mushrooms and garlic to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add chicken breasts and along with oil to the pan and turn heat to medium.  Sear on each side until all sides have browned.  (About 10 minutes) 
3. Bring water to boil in a large pot for the pasta.  Add 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Add balsamic vinegar, oregano, cream and chicken broth to the chicken and cover with a lid for a few minutes until the chicken is no longer pink at the thickest part.
5. Add the pasta to the pot and stir for 2 minutes until softened.  Drain and add to the chicken pan.
6. Stir until all the liquid has absorbed into the pasta.  The pasta should be cooked through but if all the liquid has absorbed and the pasta is still too firm add a bit more chicken broth and continue to stir until it has cooked through.
7. Arrange steamed broccoli on top of the dish and serve.

Chicken Crepes for a Crowd

When I planned this meal I knew the biggest part of the prep would be cooking the crepes, but after that it is a very simple and easy meal, even for a crowd. While I stood there flipping the crepes, I stirred the sauce and altogether had them cooked and assembled in about and hour and a half. This part can be done the night before or whenever it works. The crepes along with the sauce, can be refrigerated on the pan and reheated 20 minutes before eating. I served them with rice, stove top dressing, cranberry jelly and a cucumber/tomato salad. Easy accompaniments. This recipe makes 36 (7 inch) crepes and will serve 12 - 15.

Crepes:

• 6 eggs
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour

1. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs with hand held mixer.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing until smooth.
3. Preheat non-stick 7 inch pan just below medium heat. You may want to slightly butter after every third crepe or so. 
4. Holding pan up at a slight angle, pour a small ladle full (about 1-2 oz) of batter into pan, rotating to cover, then set back on element and cook until edges are firm enough to insert spatula to check if bottom is done. Flip and cook other side. Stack cooked crepes on plate.

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 5 cups milk
• 4 Tbsp Cheese Whiz or shredded Swiss or Mozzarella Cheese. (or combination)
• 1 1/2 cubes chicken bouillon or 2 tsp better than bouillon 

1. In medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter, then stir in the flour.
2. Using whisk, stir in milk just gradually enough to first get a smooth paste and then slowly adding the rest of the milk. 
3. Stir frequently until bubbly. (I did this while cooking the crepes.) Add cheese and bouillon while cooking.

To Assemble:

• 6 - 7 cups cubed/shredded cooked chicken (2 rotisserie chickens work well) 
• sauce
• 30 - 36 crepes

1. Mix 3 - 3 1//2 cups sauce into shredded chicken, reserving the rest for the top.
2. Place about 2 - 3 Tbsp of filling into each crepe, roll up and place side by side in Pyrex pans or cookie sheets. Plan so you can fit all in the oven at the same time.
3. Drizzle with leftover sauce and refrigerate until ready to cook in the oven at 350 F for about 20 - 25 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
4. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve hot with steamed broccoli and/or rice. Cook 2 1/2 - 3 cups rice, flavoring with 1 1/2 bouillon cubes or 2 tsp better than bouillon

Lemon Magic Custard Cake

With photos of 'magic cakes' showing up all over the blogs and pinterest lately...I decided to try a lemon version over here.  What's so magic about it?  You pour in one batter and once it is baked you have distinct layers...a custard beneath a cake.  Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and top with a dollop of whipped cream and some blueberries.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk (lukewarm)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• icing sugar, whipped cream, berries (optional toppings)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Grease an 8" or 9" square pan or a 9" deep pie plate (or spring form pan)*.
3. Separate the eggs. 
4. Beat egg whites with 1 teaspoon lemon juice until stiff. (The lemon juice stabilizes and adds volume to the egg whites.) Set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy. 
6. Add the melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice, and beat until combined.
7. Slowly add flour, mixing well.
8. Add the milk slowly and combine thoroughly.
9. Gently fold in the egg whites, 1/3 of them at a time. Make sure there are no lumps.
10. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. This is a very runny batter.
11. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.It should still be slightly jiggly in the center.
12. Cool completely before serving. 
13. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

*Unless your spring form pan has a very tight seal, the batter may leak through into the oven at the start of the baking period.   Though the spring form pan makes it easy to serve the cake...you might want to consider that!

Platz (coffee cake with fruit and crumbs)

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 fresh egg (slightly beaten)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9X13 pan.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cut the butter in with a pastry blender until it the butter is like oatmeal in the mix. 
4. Combine milk, egg and vanilla and stir into flour mixture until just combined.
5. Spread into the prepared pan.
6. Top with finely diced fresh or frozen fruit of your choice . We prefer a tart fruit like rhubarb or halved Italian Plums but you can use other fruits as well.  You should use enough diced fruit to cover the batter in a single layer or enough plums to use a half plum per slice of platz.  

Crumb Topping

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup of sugar

1. Combine the flour sugar and butter to make crumbs and sprinkle over the fruit.
2. Bake in the top 1/3 of your oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Rhubarb Scones

These scones are so delicious and beautiful and fit for the prettiest teas and yet simple to put together for a quick coffee if you have your rhubarb roasted and ready in the refrigerator.

I usually keep a container of roasted rhubarb in our refrigerator for a week to put over vanilla yogurt, 

or to add to scones or over ice cream for dessert.

Roasted Rhubarb 

• 8 cups diced rhubarb (about 1/2 inch dice)
• 1 cup sugar

1. Wash and dice rhubarb and spread onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. The rhubarb will lose about 1/2 the volume during the roasting.  You will end up with about 4 cups.
2. Roast in a 350 F oven for about 45 minutes to one hour.  Remove from oven to cool until needed.
3. Refrigerate the Roasted Rhubarb that you are not needing for scones.

Scone Dough

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl.  Cut butter into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
3. Stir together buttermilk and egg and gently stir into flour mixture.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times.  Shape into a long rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  (the exact measurement doesn't matter, as long as  you can fold the dough over twice.
5. Using a slotted spoon (leaving most of the liquid behind) place roasted rhubarb along the center 1/3 of dough.  Fold the bottom third of dough on top of rhubarb and add more roasted rhubarb on top.  Fold the top third of dough over the center, covering the roasted rhubarb.  
6. Cut into triangles and form into a circle with the sides not quite touching  on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
8. While still warm, drizzle with glaze.

Glaze

• 2 cups icing / powdered sugar 
• a few teaspoons of syrup from roasted rhubarb 
• additional cream to make a smooth runny glaze

1. Combine ingredients and pour over scones while they are still warm.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

The rhubarb harvest in our area is just beginning.  The first crop from my garden went into jam this week...and we enjoyed it on fresh biscuits before it had a chance to cool off. 

• 6 cups chopped rhubarb
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup orange or apple juice
• 1 small package (4 serving size) strawberry flavored gelatin

1. Combine chopped rhubarb, sugar and juice. 
2. Stir well and allow to sit for several hours.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes while stirring.
5. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin.
6. Pour into sterile jars and refrigerate.  (Can also be frozen).

Yield: 4 250 ml / 1 cup jars.

Enjoy...

Chicken Danielle

Chicken is one of our favorite meals. This recipe below is an all-time favorite. So if you want to try something different with a flair, give yourself some time and enjoy trying a new dish with chicken. This takes a bit of time, but no last minute rushing around when company comes.

• 4 ounces bacon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 large skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 package uncooked linguine pasta

1. Fry the bacon gently in a large flameproof casserole dish stirring for about 5 minutes until the fat runs.
2. Take the bacon out and saute' chicken in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes until golden.
3. Preheat oven to 375 °
4. Set aside chicken into a casserole dish, reserving bacon drippings.
5. In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and saute mushrooms.
6. Add 1/2 cup white wine and stir at a low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Set mushrooms and drippings aside, keeping warm.
8. Add cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup to the bacon/chicken drippings, making sure no lumps remain.
9. Slowly add cream stirring constantly, then add remaining 1/2 cup wine, adjusting as needed to make a nice thick gravy consistency.
10. Season with fresh rosemary and thyme.
11. Toss the bacon that you saved on top of this sauce.
12. Let mixture simmer over medium heat until bubbly and then add reserved mushroom mixture and stir together.
13. Pour soup/mushroom mixture over chicken in casserole dish, cover and bake in preheated oven for 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees.
14. Serve with your favorite pasta or on a platter of rice.

Add a few fresh vegetables, zwieback and you'll feel like you are eating a traditional meal.

Cheese Stuffed Breadsticks

If you have tried the French Bread or Pizza Buns with the same recipe, today's bread sticks should come by quite easily, as it's the same recipe recycled once again. It's the bread recipe with endless options and so easy to mix.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups hot water
• 4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 3 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or mix )
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 clove garlic crushed

Method:

1. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put first four ingredients in mixing bowl or Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups flour and yeast.
3. Mix until well combined and then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time, until dough can easily be shaped into a ball with all the flour well mixed in. No need to rise.
4. Divide in half. Roll first half out on floured surface, to approx size of cookie sheet. Roll up on to rolling pin and unroll unto cookie sheet. Stretch into shape where needed. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Roll out second half, a bit larger. Roll onto pin and unroll on top of cheese. Fold under the bottom layer, along edges. Cut through the dough with a pizza cutter to create 20 - 24 pieces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 20 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 425° F.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, Parmesan, oregano and garlic. Brush evenly over dough.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes, until bread sticks are light golden in color. If a large bubble pops up while baking, simply break with a knife to keep the sticks even.
9. Cut along the seams of the bread sticks and serve warm with soup. Can also be used for kids' lunch boxes.

Rhubarb Cake

Fresh rhubarb season is almost here. I've been checking the rhubarb plants, they are growing but not quite ready to pick. So I checked my freezer and was happy to find a package of rhubarb from last season. This is a quick and easy dessert to put together. Serve warm and if you like you can top it with a scoop of frozen yogurt or ice cream and you have a wonderful dessert.

• 4 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 small package strawberry flavored gelatin powder
• 1  517 g (18.25 oz) package of yellow or white cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup water

1. Place chopped rhubarb evenly in an ungreased 9" x 13" baking pan.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over rhubarb.
3. Next sprinkle strawberry gelatin powder on top of the sugar mixture.
4. Sprinkle cake mix on top of the gelatin powder.
5. Drizzle melted butter on top of cake mix.
6. Slowly pour water over all.
7. Bake in a 350º oven for 1 hour.
8. Yield: 12 generous pieces

Tip: I used slightly frozen rhubarb, if you use fresh rhubarb increase water to 1 cup.

Bread for the Journey

Good Sunday morning to all of you who join us here today. Sometime today or this week in a quiet place I'd like to encourage you to write your own Psalm to God. To inspire you here is Psalm 121 and then my own Psalm (Sacred Song) to God.

Psalm 121 (ESV)

My Help Comes from the LORD

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Ellen's Psalm

You oh Lord are my God and my redeemer.
Your hand has been on me all my life.
You continue to lead and guide me with gentleness and love.
You have opened my eyes to your majesty.

When I see the cloud covered hills beyond the carpet of flowers
I marvel at the power and beauty of your creation.
I look, I see, and I stand in awe of you because of your beauty.

You are above me and you shield me and you care for me.
You allow me to lay my head down in peace and rise up again to praise you.
I praise you Lord for your beauty and your majesty!

~

Have a day filled with seeing God's beauty and being in awe of Him!