Comfort

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Getting excited that it is almost full comfort food season! My favorite time. What better way to kick off the season with these individual chicken pot pies! Delicious, warm and the perfect dinner portion.


Ingredients
4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 C flour
2 C chicken broth
2 C milk
3 C chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
2 C frozen peas & carrots, thawed
1 Tbsp thyme
6 flaky buttermilk biscuit dough
2 eggs


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add the onion and cook until translucent. Whisk in flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the broth and whisk until smooth. Add the milk, bring to a simmer and continue stirring for another 5 minutes. 
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the chicken, peas, carrots and thyme. Divide into six individual ramekins or spoon into a baking dish. Place onto a foil lined baking sheet in case the bubble over when cooking
Top the individual pies with 1 biscuit dough.
Evenly distribute the dough over the baking dish of mixture.
Beat the eggs with 1/4 C water and brush onto the tops of the biscuits.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden.
Let rest and serve.

Cheese & Chicken Bake

We love casserole dishes here! I didn't know what to make the other night and it had finally cooled down. I took out a few ingredients and decided to make a yummy, cheesy, chicken casserole bake. We just scooped it into a bowl and had it with a side of broccoli.


Ingredients
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 C water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
3/4 C uncooked rice
2 C chicken, cooked and cubed
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked and diced
5 Ritz crackers, crumbled


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 2-quart casserole dish add all ingredients, except the crackers. Stir to combine, making sure everything is evenly mixed/distributed.
Cover and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven, stir, and top with Ritz crackers. 
Place back in oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the crackers are golden.

French Onion Chicken

French Onion Chicken is a new and favorite recipe for me. Coming from someone that does not like french onion soup...this was amazing! AND I didn't feel guilty eating this! Super light and can even eat this over egg noodles instead of rice, or just by itself!


Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts, boneless skinless
Salt, pepper, Trader Joes umami seasoning
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
Pam cooking spray
I Cant Believe Its Not Butter spray
1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 C + 3 Tbsp beef broth
1 Tbsp flour
2 oz mozzarella


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, coat the bottom with Pam and about 15 sprays of butter. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat. 
Cook for about 2 minutes and then add 3 Tbsp beef broth. Continue cooking onions until browned.
Once they become translucent and soft, you may need to higher the heat to get the brown color.
In the meantime, add the salt, pepper and umami seasoning to both sides of your chicken.
Once the onions are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan over medium high heat, add the chicken breasts. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, until browned. Remove and set to the side.
Add your onions back to the pan. Add 1 Tbsp flour and stir the onions to coat.
Add the 1/2 C broth and garlic. Stir to combine and make sure all lumps of flour are dissolved.
Bring to a simmer and stir until sauce thickens. 
Once thickened, pour sauce & onions into a casserole dish. Place chicken on sauce and top with the mozzarella.
Place into oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Serve over rice, egg noodles, pasta or potatoes and a side of vegetables.

Jambalaya

A couple weeks before Fathers Day this year, my dad requested that I make Jambalaya. This was probably the second time EVER that he has asked me to cook a recipe so I knew he was excited about it, especially since he didn't want to wait for Fathers Day to have it! I had made a healthier version of Jambalaya before so I too was excited to try the full flavors. Needless to say, it turned out amazing! Even my brother who "doesn't like shrimp" really enjoyed it!


Ingredients
1 package smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" slices
1 package andouille sausage, cut into 1/2" slices
1 Tbsp oil
4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 cups cooked white rice


In a large pot over medium high heat, add the oil and smoked sausages. Cook the sausages until browned and then add in the chicken. Let cook for about 3 minutes.
Add in the butter, onion, both bell peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft.
Stir in tomatoes, pepper sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt. 
Bring to a boil and add the shrimp. Cook for another 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.
Add the rice, 1 cup at a time, and gently stir in. Let sit over low heat for about 4 minutes, until heated through.

Oven Fried Chicken

Oven fried chicken is an easy delicious way to eat chicken in our house. The skin comes out incredibly crispy, you would think it was cooked in a pan of oil. It makes me feel a little better, eating the crispy skin, knowing it was cooked in the oven ;)


Ingredients
Chicken thighs, skin on
1/2 C water
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp canola oil
Small pinch of sugar


Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the water, salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Stir and place your chicken thighs, skin down, into the water. Let sit for at least 20-30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Remove your chicken from the bowl and place onto the rack, making sure to separate each piece from each other.
Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. 
Combine the oil and sugar in a small bowl. Remove the chicken from the oven and change the oven temperature 450.
Generously brush the tops of your chicken with the oil and sugar mixture. 
Place your chicken back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve with your favorite side like mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.

Breaded Meat

Someone recently asked me "what would be your last meal?"...This...this would be my last meal. I remember, as a kid, finally being able to pull a chair over to stand on and help my mom make dinner. I was the one that got to bread the meat and let me tell you, I made a mess! There would be breadcrumbs all over the place, the meat would be partially breaded and my hands would be covered in egg and crumbs. But my mom made sure I learned how to get better and eventually make my own! This is my comfort food meal that warms my heart. Everyone has a meal that makes them happy...this is mine and I hope you enjoy it!


Serve it with mashed potatoes, brown gravy and green beans.


Ingredients
2 thinly sliced carne asada
1 1/2 C seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, for frying


Add the oil to a large pan over medium heat.

Dredging Station:
On one plate, mix together the egg and milk. On another place, stir the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Cut your steaks in half so they are not so long. Dip once piece of meat into the egg mixture. Let egg drip off and then place meat onto breadcrumb mixture. Cover meat in the breadcrumbs and with the palm of your hand press down on the meat firmly. Flip the meat over and repeat.
Once the meat is coated in the breadcrumbs and your oil is hot, gently place the meat into the pan and cook on both sides until browned to your liking. (Since this meat is thin, it will cook fast)
Remove meat and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Serve with mashed potatoes, brown gravy and green beans

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