Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Oh do I have a yummy recipe for you!  I love jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon (of course!) so when I saw this recipe I knew I needed to make it.  I found this on Allrecipes and did some tweaking to up the flavor.  I think the final product was really delicious!  I added bacon and pepper jack cheese and spiced up the crumb coating to add some more flavor.  My family loved it, even though it was a little spicy for my little ones.  I think I put a bit to much jalapeno in it for them, but it was just right for me.

I was really surprised at how quickly these came together. The total prep time was a little over 30 minutes, then 30 minutes to cook.  It might be pushing it for a weeknight meal, but not too bad all things considered.  So there's no excuse for not trying these!

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
12" dutch oven
 
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 3 Tbs. shredded Cheddar and pepper jack blend, divided
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used the grease from cooking the bacon instead)

Stir together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup Cheddar/pepper jack cheese, bacon and jalapenos in a small bowl. 

Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of each chicken breast, and fill with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Secure with broken spaghetti noodles (once it cooks there won't be any toothpicks to pull out and the spaghetti noodle will be soft so you won't even know its there). 

In a bowl or pie plate, combine the Panko, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and remaining 3 Tbs. of cheese.  Place the egg in another bowl or pie plate.  Dip each filled chicken breast in egg, then roll  in bread crumbs to coat. 

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, and cook chicken breasts until they are golden brown on both sides but not cooked through.   Drain most of the oil out of the pot.  Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until the juices run clear.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 4.

Source:  Inspired by Allrecipes

Pesto Chicken and Spinach Stromboli

I have a fun, yummy recipe for you today.  It includes one of my all time favorite ingredients--Pesto!  If you haven't tried pesto yet, you really need to.  Its usually a mixture of basil, pine nuts and olive oil and its fabulous!  I put it on grilled cheese sandwiches, or any sandwich for that matter.  Its also great added in to pasta sauce or Alfredo sauce.

Chicken Cakes

This is one of the recipes I made when I didn't have an oven.  I was thinking about it and realized that I had never actually done any frying in my dutch ovens and it was time to give it a try.  Of course, its as easy to do in the dutch oven as it is on the stove top.  Maybe easier since I didn't have any oil splatters to clean off my stove.  :)  I love dutch ovens!!

Chicken Cakes

12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil  (Add more as needed when frying)

1 Tbs. Creole seasoning (I used Tony Cachere's)

1 Tbs. Creole mustard (Or spicy brown mustard.  Just don't use yellow mustard)

2 Tbs. Mayonnaise (Not Miracle Whip)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 clove minced garlic

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup Mayonnaise

2 green onions, sliced

2 Tbs. creole mustard (Or spicy brown.  Not yellow)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Melt the butter in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Add the bell pepper, green onions and garlic and saute until tender.  Stir together the bell pepper mixture, chicken, egg, mayo, mustard, creole seasoning and bread crumbs.  Form the mixture into about 8-10 patties.

In the same dutch oven, add the oil and heat until shimmering.  Fry the patties about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and sightly crispy on the outside.  Serve immediately with remoulade.

For the remoulade, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend

The Finished Product

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The Review

I can't even tell you how good these were.  My hubby (who is notorious for complaining if we have the same meal twice in 6 months) asked me to make these every week for a month.  And we still didn't get sick of them.  They are delish!  They are pretty spicy, so adjust the creole seasoning if you need to.  I think I only used 2 tsp. and it had a nice bite.  Don't skip the remoulade or you'll be missing the best part of the meal.  The sauce puts these over the top!  You'll love 'em!

Source:  Tasty Kitchen

Gumbo

**Disclaimer**  I am not a Southern gal.  I was born in Tahoe, California and spent most of my life in Northern Utah.  The closest thing I've ever even come to the South is spending 2 weeks in Dallas with a friend in college, but I'm not sure that counts.  So please forgive me if this Gumbo recipe is not remotely authentic.  Not authentic, but yummy nonetheless.  I did a little looking for Gumbo recipes (because I'd never had it before and had no idea what was in it).  After I had a fairly good grasp of what it actually was, I set about making my own recipe. (See what I mean by not authentic?)

First, a little about the roux that this recipe calls for.  A roux is super simple to make.  It is a mixture of a fat (butter or my favorite bacon grease)  and flour.  All you do is melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook and stir for a minute or two.  Roux is something that I always have stocked in my fridge.  I use it when I need to thicken soups, stews and anything else that needs thickening.  I keep it in a plastic container in my fridge so I always have it ready.  It stores up to 4 months.

Gumbo
12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1 stalks sliced celery
8 oz. kielbasa, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbs. Creole spice blend (I used Tony Cachere's)
~1/4 cup roux (more as needed to reach desired thickness)

Roux

1/2 cup butter (real butter)
1/2 cup flour

Heat the oil in your dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Add the chicken, brown and remove.  Add the onion, red pepper and celery to the pot.  Saute until the onion is golden.  Add the cooked chicken, sausage, stock, bay leaves, garlic and creole spice.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Move about 1/2 the coals to the lid to simmer.

While the pot is simmering, make the roux.  In a small dutch oven over a full spread of coals, melt the butter.  Add the flour and stir until smooth.  Continue to cook and stir for about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

To thicken the Gumbo, add 1/4 cup of roux and stir until thickened.  Season with additional creole seasoning, salt and pepper if needed.  Serve over hot cooked rice.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good if I do say so myself.  My kiddos loved it and my oldest son had 3 heaping plates full.  That's a winner in my book.  It was just spicy enough to be interesting, but not too spicy for my little kids.

Herbed Chicken and Pasta

This has been one of my family's favorite meals forever.  I've been making it long enough that I can't even remember where I got the recipe.  The best thing about this is that its one of those things I can have on the table in about 30 minutes and I know everyone will be happy.

Herbed Chicken and Pasta
10" dutch oven

1-2 tsp. salt free seasoning blend (I used Mrs. Dash)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 Tbs. butter, divided
2/3 cup water
2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
2 Tbs. onion soup mix (I used Lipton)
1 envelope savory herb and garlic soup mix, divided (I've used both Lipton and Knorr brands)
8 ounces of your favorite pasta
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

Combine the seasoning blend and  poultry seasoning and sprinkle over the chicken.  Saute the chicken in oil and 2 Tbs. butter over a full spread of coals until juices run clear.  Add the water, teriyaki sauce, onion soup mix and 2 Tbs. herb and garlic soup mix.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and move about 1/4 of the coals from the bottom of the dutch oven to the top, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and add to the chicken mixture.  Add the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, remaining butter, and remaining herb and garlic soup mix.  Toss to coat and serve immediately.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

The Review

I haven't made this in a long time, and I'd forgotten how good it is.  The herb and garlic soup mix can be a little hard to find.  My local grocery store will randomly quit carrying the Lipton brand, which I like best, but the Knorr brand makes a good substitute.  This was super easy in the DO, and the DO flavor really adds that something extra to this meal.  We love it!

BBQ Ranch Chicken Rolls

Here is another simple but easy recipe.  I made these for my kiddos for lunch a while ago and the loved them!  It would make a great camping meal since you can use all prepared ingredients.  I made everything from scratch, but you could easily use refrigerated pizza dough, Lloyd's BBQ Chicken and prepared ranch dressing.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Rolls
14" dutch oven

3 cups flour
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. oil
1 cup warm water
1 Tbs. instant yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
2 cups shredded BBQ chicken  (I cooked and shredded 2 large chicken breasts, shredded them and mixed with BBQ sauce)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl until a soft dough forms.  Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes, then roll into a rectangle.  Don't roll it too thin or it will tear when you try to roll it up with the chicken inside.  Spread the ranch dressing over the dough, then top with the chicken, green onions and cheese.  Starting at the long end, roll into a log shape like you would for cinnamon rolls.  Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut it into 1" slices and place in a greased dutch oven.  Bake at 350° for 20-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.  Serves about 10.

The Finished Product

The Review

I wish the picture looked as good as it tasted.  My kiddos love these!  I have to admit, I'm a sucker for BBQ chicken so I ate more than my fair share of these.  Next time I'll add more cheese, and I'll leave the dough a little bit thicker.  I rolled it so thin that it tore as I was trying to roll them up.  So watch out for that.  This would be a great camping meal.

Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza

Hi everyone!  I'm back dutch oven cooking with a vengeance.  Like I said before, my oven went the way of the dodo, so I have no way to bake anything in it  Thank goodness I spent last year learning to cook outdoors, because right now I have no choice.  I'd be in a panic if I didn't know how to dutch oven cook. 

Let me start out this recipe by telling you that this is an original recipe, but the idea came from the Food Network, specifically "Diners, Drive-In's and Dives".  I spend more evenings than I'd like to admit watching and taking notes on the program (and lets be honest, many other food shows).  I'm weird, I know.  My hubby just shakes his head when he sees me grab my notebook and plop down on the couch.  Anyway,  I took the idea for this pizza and ran with it. 

At first, I thought it would be more of a grown up pizza, but my kiddos loved it.  Even with the artichokes and sun dried tomatoes.  Maybe there's hope for their tasters yet!  So, here goes, I hope you love it as much as we did!

Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza
2- 12" dutch ovens (thin crust) or 1- 12" dutch oven (thick crust)

Crust:

3 cups flour
1 Tbs. honey, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 Tbs. yeast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Toppings:

Pizza sauce
Canned artichokes, coarsely chopped
Black olives
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 garlic bulb (not a clove, but the whole head of garlic)
Sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, patted dry and coarsely chopped

Garlic Butter:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
5 cloves minced garlic
Dried parsley (I used about a tablespoon)
Shredded Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup total)
Shredded Romano cheese
3 chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked and cut into chunks

To roast the garlic, cut the top quarter of the bulb off and discard.  (It is the pointy side you want to cut off.)  Drizzle about a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil over the bulb then wrap in foil.  Place a trivet inside your dutch oven and place the bulb on top of it.  (If you don't have a trivet, just roll up 4 small balls of foil and balance the wrapped garlic bulb on top of them.  The idea is not to let the garlic sit directly on the bottom of the dutch oven.)  Bake at 450° for about 40 minutes or until the garlic is very tender.  Use 2 1/2 rings on top and 1 on the bottom.  Remove from the oven, unwrap and allow to cool.  When cooled, squeeze the garlic cloves from the papery skin and mash.

To make the dough, mix all the ingredients together except the flour.  Add the flour a little at a time and knead or mix until a soft dough forms.  Press in the bottom of a greased dutch oven.

To build the pizza, spread the dough with your favorite pizza sauce.  Then add the chopped artichokes and sliced black olives.  Top with Mozzarella cheese, roasted garlic (you have to kind of spread it on or crumble it the best you can with your fingers) and sun dried tomatoes.  Bake at 475° for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.  I used 2 1/2 rings + a couple of coals on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

While the pizza is baking, prepare the garlic butter.  In a small dutch oven over about 6-8 coals, melt the butter and add the minced garlic.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the parsley, cheeses and chicken and allow to melt together.  It may look like a gloppy mess, but that's what you want.  Keep it warm and stir often while the pizza cooks.

When the pizza is finished cooking, remove it from the heat and put the garlic butter/cheese mixture on top of the pizza.  Serve hot.  Makes 2 thin crust pizzas or 1 thick crust pizza.

The Finished Product



The Review

This is by far one of my favorite pizza recipes.  I'm so proud of it, I can't even tell you.  The richness from the roasted garlic and the bite from the minced garlic in the garlic butter are perfect together.  It has such complex flavors.  Talk about a party in your mouth!  I love how the garlic flavor gets infused into the cheese and the chicken when you make the garlic butter.  The smell alone with have your mouth watering.  I can't wait to make it again.  I don't mean to toot my own horn, but this gets an A+!

Dutch Oven Santa Fe Chicken

Good morning!!  Its been a while since you've heard from me.  I'll bet you thought I was MIA and had forgotten all about you.  Not so!!  Life has been crazy, but thankfully it's slowing down.

This is a recipe I've had for a while.  Its been on the menu every week for a couple of months, but I could never seem to get the time to actually make it.  And yes, its one of those that you are kicking yourself in the pants for not trying sooner.  It is delicious!  Who knew that chicken flavored Rice A Roni and taco seasoning went so well together?  Then add the richness of the cream cheese and you have yourself a winner! 

The recipe itself is really simple.  The hardest part is rolling up the chicken with the filling inside.  But I have some tricks to make it easier.  First, instead of spreading the filling on the chicken and rolling it up, use a sharp knife to cut a pocket in the chicken breast.  This works best with a nice, fat piece of meat.  Leave the opening of the pocket fairly small, but make sure the pocket itself is quite large.  Second, don't close the opening of the pocket with toothpicks.  There is nothing I hate worse than having to pick toothpicks out of my dinner.  Instead, use small pieces of spaghetti noodles.  The pasta will soften as the chicken cooks and no one will ever know it was ever there.  Pretty clever, huh?  We gave this an A.

Dutch Oven Santa Fe Chicken
12" or 14" dutch oven

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, diced
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning
1 box chicken flavored Rice a Roni
Additional water as needed

Mix half of the green chilies with the cream cheese.  Cut a pocket in each chicken breast.  Make the pocket large, but try to leave the opening small.  (See picture below)  Stuff each pocket with the cream cheese mixture.  Secure with small pieces of dry spaghetti noodles (instead of toothpicks).  Combine the remaining green chilies, onion, broth, taco seasoning and Rice a Roni and pour into an oiled dutch oven.  Place the chicken on top of the rice.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Stir fairly often adding more liquid to the rice as needed.  You want it soft, but not mushy.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 6-8.

Day 360: Marinated Baked Chicken

I have to admit, this was one of those meals where I threw together what I had in the fridge and pantry just so we could eat something.  I really didn't plan ahead.  Actually, we were lucky to have something to eat!  But it turned out well.  I served this chicken with a green salad, baked spaghetti squash and pumpkin scones (which I'll post later this afternoon) and it made a tasty meal.  I didn't marinate my chicken because I was running behind lazy.

Marinated Baked Chicken
12" dutch oven

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder

Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and set aside 1/4 cup.  Place the remaining 3/4 cup into a resealable plastic bag.  Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours. Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade.  Place the chicken in a greased dutch oven and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until juices run clear.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade several times during baking.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

I really wish I'd marinated the chicken.  It had such good flavor, I can only imagine how much better it would have tasted if I'd made it properly.  Funny how that works!  :)  The meat was so tender that we could cut it with a fork.  This is very simple and easy and yummy.  Even my little kids liked it. We gave this a B+.

Day 358: Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

I can't believe the year is almost over!  I can't believe I've cooked in my dutch ovens every day this year--sometimes more than once!  I'm not sure how I'm going to feel giving up the every day dutch oven thing.  I told my hubby I was going to take a month off in January, but he doesn't believe me.  He says I won't be able to leave them alone that long.  He's a smart man!  :)  But in a way, I'll be glad to be relieved of the pressure of blogging everyday and trying to find new recipes.  But I'm looking forward to trying some new and exciting things and experimenting more.  Since I was feeding a family I couldn't do too much experimenting because we had to be able to eat every night.  But next year I'm going to experiment a lot.  I hope you'll keep reading and cooking right along with me.

Today's recipe is one I cooked sans recipe.  Its basically a skillet cordon bleu, and I'm sure everyone has a version of this one, but today you're getting mine!  :)  Before I forget, I have to thank my daughter for letting me use her camera!

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken
12" dutch oven

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups crushed butter flavored crackers
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 Tbs. butter or margarine, divided
4 slices ham
4 slices smoked provolone cheese

Flatten the chicken to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Place the egg in a shallow bowl.  Combine the cracker crumbs and salt in another bowl.  Dip the chicken in egg then in the cracker crumbs and set aside.

In a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the mushrooms in 2 Tbs. butter until tender.  Remove and set aside.  Add the remaining butter to the dutch oven.  Add the chicken.  Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until browned.  Cover and move enough coals to the lid to bring the oven to 350° (1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom).  Bake for about 10 minutes or until juices run clear.  Remove the lid and place a slice of ham, mushrooms and a slice of cheese on each breast.  Cover and cook until the cheese is melted.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

The chicken is hiding under there somewhere!

The Review

This was absolutely delicious!  I took one bite and was hooked.  I wish I'd made a few extra.  The butter flavored crackers really add a nice flavor and texture.  They were the perfect coating.  And be sure to use the smoked cheese, you won't be sorry.  This got rave reviews from the whole family.  You need to go to the store and make this tonight!  Grade A.

Day 350: General Tso's Chicken

This is my favorite thing to get when we go out for Chinese food.  I very rarely order anything else.  But since we've had to tighten our purse strings (just like the rest of America) we don't eat out much at all anymore.  Besides, I like the challenge of finding quality restaurant recipes I can make at home.  I've tried several versions of this one over the last few years, and all of them have fallen flat until now.  I found this at cookscountry.com. 

General Tso's Chicken
12" dutch oven

Marinade and Sauce



1/2 cup hoisin sauce or tomato paste
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves , minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Coating and Frying

3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups vegetable oil

For the marinade and sauce: Whisk hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water in bowl. Combine 6 tablespoons hoisin mixture and chicken in zipper-lock bag; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil a 10" dutch oven over a full spread of coals until shimmering. Cook garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups hoisin mixture and simmer, whisking constantly, until dark brown and thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and keep sauce warm.

For coating and frying: Whisk egg whites in shallow dish until foamy. Combine cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining hoisin mixture in second shallow dish until mixture resembles coarse meal. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Toss half of chicken with egg whites until well coated, then dredge chicken in cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer coated chicken to plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over a full spread of coals until oil registers 350 degrees. Fry half of chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning each piece halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

To serve: Warm sauce until simmering. Add crispy chicken and toss to coat. Serve over rice.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

The Review
If I hadn't made this myself, I would have sworn it was take out.  It was fabulous!  The sauce was perfect.  My little ones thought it was a little too spicy, so next time I'll tone it down for them, but I would have liked a few more red pepper flakes.  You can use tomato paste instead of the hoisin sauce, but I wouldn't recommend it.  The hoisin sauce adds such great flavor that its worth it.  I found the hoisin sauce at my local Smith's (Kroger) store, so its not a specialty item.  This should go on top of your must try list!  Grade A.

Day 341: BBQ Chicken Pasta with Bacon

Whew!  I've had a busy day already.  My hubby and I are in charge of our church's Christmas party tonight, so I've been trying to put that together.  Dinner for 175 people.  I'm glad I'm not doing all the cooking.  I love to cook, but that's ridiculous!  :)  Here is last night's dinner.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

BBQ Chicken Pasta with Bacon
12" dutch oven

1 pound penne or other short pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 pound bacon, chopped
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp.)
Green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese for garnish, if desired

Cook the bacon to a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel.  Add the chicken and red onion to the bacon grease in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the onion is softened. Drain off any excess grease and stir in the reserved bacon, barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the shredded cheese. Add pasta and stir to combine; heat through.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6-8

The Finished Product

The Review

This one had me at bacon.  Its actually an unusual combination of ingredients that I never would have come up with myself, but it was really good.  I liked the kick the red pepper flakes added.  Even my hubby said I could make it again which is the same as saying its the best pasta dish ever.  Sounds like an A to me.

Day 334: Chipotle Chicken Alfredo

Just a quick post today!  I have a few extra little people at my house for the day. 

Chipotle Chicken Alfredo
12" dutch oven

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon chipotle in adobo puree
8 ounces linguine or fettuccine, cooked and drained

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken; cover to keep warm.

In the same dutch oven, stir together cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the chipotle puree; cook 5 minutes or until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Gently stir in chicken. Toss with the hot pasta.

The Finished Product

I forgot to take a picture of this, but you really aren't missing anything.

The Review

I wasn't really impressed with this one.  I did a chipotle chicken pasta a while back that was much better.  The cream cheese in this just overpowered all the other flavors, even the chipotle peppers. I tried to add some chicken broth to thin the sauce (because it was thick and pasty) and dilute the cream cheese flavor, but nothing worked.  I won't make this again.  Grade C-.

Day 332: Chicken Enchilada Ring

Good Morning!!  I hope you are all having a wonderful day!  I want to thank everyone who has pre-ordered my cookbook and remind everyone that it will be available soon!  For all my international readers, please contact me for the shipping charges and where to send payment.  The rate for Canada will be $6.25, and Australia and Europe will be higher too, but I am more than willing to ship them, so don't hesitate to contact me! 

This is a cheater version of chicken enchiladas.  It is great for busy days and I seem to be having a lot of them lately.  It also means I don't have to stand out in the snow and stir something.  I know, I'm a big wimp!  :) :)

Chicken Enchilada Ring
14" dutch oven

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped chilies, undrained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup re fried beans
1 package taco seasoning
2 packages of crescent rolls

Stir together chicken, cheese, chilies, sour cream, re fried beans and taco seasoning.  Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange them in the dutch oven, making a circle with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward outside.  Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

For a quick and easy weeknight meal, this is really good.  All my kids loved it, and even my hubby didn't complain about a fast meal (I've really spoiled him this year with all the good food we've eaten).  Its not the most beautiful dish I've ever made, but it will go on my list of week night meals.  Grade B+.

Day 326: Rustic Chicken

Getting ready for Thanksgiving is taking longer than I thought it would.  I've been all morning shopping, and yes, I do know not to wait until the last minute.  But I wouldn't be me if I didn't. 

Rustic Chicken
12" dutch oven

6 slices of bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced  (I left these out)
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup stuffed green olives

Cook bacon in your dutch oven over a full spread of coals until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.  Drain off some of the grease.  Add the onions to the pot and cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken browns, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink. Serve over pasta or rice.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

Everyone but the younger kids really liked this.  It has a nice flavor and "rustic" is the perfect word for this.  The only thing I would change is not to add the olives.  No one liked them.  I think I'll use sliced carrots or something along those lines.  This came together really fast, which was great because it was freezing outside!  :)  On a side note, I doubled the bacon because I knew that only about half of it would actually make it into the dish.  Grade B+.

Day 318: Chicken Spaghetti Bake

Just a quick post today!  Its only 9 a.m. and I'm already wishing it was bedtime!  I hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Chicken Spaghetti Bake
12" dutch oven

1 (16 oz.) pkg. of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained  (I used garden rotini)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 small can sliced olives, drained
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/3 cup cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the onions, green peppers, zucchini and garlic in oil until crisp tender.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and olives.  Bring to a boil.  Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and allow the sauce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and soup and heat through.  Remove the sauce to a large bowl and keep warm.  Place half of the pasta in the bottom of the same pot the sauce was cooked in.  Pour half of the spaghetti sauce over the pasta and top with half of the cheese.  Repeat the layers.  Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 10-12.

The Finished Product

The Review

This is one of those meals that I have to grade in 2 different ways.  For a weeknight meal, its just okay.  I didn't have much in the house and I wasn't very hungry, so I didn't do my normal nice Sunday meal.  Now for a camping meal, this is great.  The fact that it can all be done in 1 pot is a real plus.  A lot of the preparation can be done ahead of time as well.  For an everyday meal this gets a B- but for camping we give it an A-.

Day 314: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Just for the record, I cooked this out in my garage in a snow storm.  Yep, a snow storm.  I'm glad this dish cooked fast, because I was freezing!  (Of course if I would quit wearing sandals outside I probably would have been warmer.)  That is one of the few things I won't miss when the year is over.

Today's recipe is one I found handwritten on a scrap of paper in the bottom of my recipe pile.  I haven't got a clue where I got it, but it sounded good, so here it is.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
12" dutch oven

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
4 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's)
4 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/2 sweet red pepper cut into strips
1/2 sweet green pepper cut into strips
8 large mushrooms, sliced (I left these out--no fungus here)
2 green onions, sliced
2-3 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
12 oz. linguine,cooked and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place the chicken and Cajun seasoning in a resealable plastic bag and toss to coat.  In a dutch oven, over a full spread of coals, saute the chicken in butter until almost cooked.  Add the peppers, mushrooms and onion.  Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.  Remove about 1/4 of the coals.  Add the cream and seasonings and heat through.  Add the linguine and heat through.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  serves 4-6.

The Finished Product

I miss using my nice serving dishes.  Sigh!  So we used them last night.

The Review

I wasn't sure how this was going to taste, but it was delish!  My 5 older kids loved it, and the 2 youngest hardly eat anything anyway, so they don't really count.  (Ha Ha!)  It isn't super spicy, but it leaves a nice little burn in the back of your throat.  You can adjust the heat by using more or less Cajun seasoning, so if you like it mild its not a problem.  My only complaint is that the cream sauce was too thin.  Next time I'll use a little of the roux I keep in the back of the fridge to thicken it up just a little.  Overall, it was yummy!  Grade A-.

Day 311: Chicken Parmesan

Next week I'll start taking pre-orders for the cook book!  I'm really excited about finally having it in print.  My only problem is designing the cover art.  I'm not good at that kind of thing, so I'm hoping some of you are.  If anyone is interested in designing the cover please email me!  If I choose your design, I'll send you a free copy of the cook book and your name will be forever immortalized in dutch oven history.  Does it get any better than that?  I don't think so.  :)

On to the recipe.  I'm sure I have a recipe for this on the blog already, but this one is a little different and I actually liked it better.  I had this dish at a family gathering a while back and I recreated it at home yesterday.

Chicken Parmesan
12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. oil
1 (29 oz.) jar pasta sauce
4 chicken breasts pounded flat or cut into large pieces
2-3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs. milk
1/2 cup flour
shredded mozzarella cheese
Hot cooked pasta (I used linguine)

In a shallow bowl combine the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  In another shallow bowl, combine the egg and milk.  Put the flour in another shallow bowl.  Coat each piece of chicken in flour, then in the egg, and finally in the crumb mixture.

Heat the oil  in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Add the chicken to the pot and brown on both sides until almost cooked through.  Remove from the pot and keep warm.  Wipe out the pot with paper towels to remove any excess oil.  Pour pasta sauce in the bottom of the pot and then place the chicken in the sauce.  Sprinkle with cheeses.  Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve over hot cooked pasta.  Serves 4-6.

The Finished Product

The Review

This is my new favorite Chicken Parmesan recipe.  I love that it has a crispy outside, but the chicken ends up super tender and moist inside.  I also like that it cooks in the sauce and the flavors get to combine really well.  I made our really cheesy, because that's how we like it, but use as much or as little cheese as you like.  The fact that its a one pot meal is a big plus too!  We gave this an A.

Day 303: Honey Mustard Chicken

Sorry I'm late today.  We had a late night with all the Halloween festivities.  Because of the predominant religion, anytime a holiday like Halloween or the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday we celebrate either the day before or the day after.  So here we are, in the midst of a complete sugar high.  :)

I made this recipe for my hubby to eat cold on a salad, because he likes that kind of thing.  But we ended up eating  a lot of it when it came out of the pot.  I found this at allrecipes.com.

Honey Mustard Chicken

12" dutch oven

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard (I used 1/4 cup yellow and 1/4 cup Dijon)
1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 12" dutch oven. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.   Serves 6.

The Finished Product

Can you tell this pic was an afterthought?  Oh no!  We forgot to take a picture!  Throw it on a plate and....Click!

The Review

Of all the Honey Mustard Chicken recipes I've tried, I like this one the best.  It is more than just honey and mustard.  My only beef with it is that the chicken wasn't as tender as I would like.  Next time I'll flatten it with a meat mallet to solve that problem. We gave this a B+.

Day 302: Chicken Bacon and Spinach Pizza

Okay, make-up post #2.  I'm going to overload you all today!  I made this last week for dinner and I was really nervous about how it would be received.  When my kids saw me cooking spinach for a pizza they all moaned and groaned.  But thankfully, this year has taught them to at least try the food before they pass judgement.  I found this recipe here.

Chicken, Bacon and Spinach Pizza
12" dutch oven

Pizza Dough

1 packet active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix yeast with warm water and allow to get foamy – about 15 minutes. In a large bowl, mix flour (about 2 1/2 cups to start), salt, and seasoning, making sure it is well combined. Once yeast is foamy, add to dough and mix with hand. If more flour is needed, add it. Cover and let rise in a cool, dark place for 2 hours.

Sauce and Toppings

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
8 slices bacon, fried and torn apart
4 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 block (4 oz) cream cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked cheddar cheese

Divide pizza dough in half and spread out in 2 well greased 12" dutch ovens. Bake alone for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a 10" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, sautee spinach in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, with one minced garlic clove until it is cooked down. While it is still warm, combine it with cream cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Brush dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread spinach mix on dough. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Add on grilled chicken and bacon. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Use 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  If it is cold outside add a coal or 2 to the top of the oven.

The Finished Product

The Review

I officially love this pizza!  Most of my kids loved this pizza.  The younger ones were totally put off by the spinach, but I thought that was the best part (besides the bacon).  I didn't love the dough, however.  It was a little tough once it was cooked and when I'm making pizza I don't usually have time to let dough rise for 2 hours.  Next time I'll use my regular dough recipe and add Italian seasoning to it.  This is a recipe you really should try.  Grade A.