Creamy mushroom chicken soup

With the flu running around my house playing tag with each one of my family members this week has been hard. Not to mention it has been cold and rainy. Nothing is better when you are sick and it's cold and rainy outside then chicken noodle soup. I just didn't want to make just plain old chicken noodle soup so here is my version of a classic revamped. 

INGREDEINTS: 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts,boiled then cut into 1-inch chunks 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 

1 onion, diced 

3 carrots, peeled and diced 

2 stalks celery, diced 

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

4 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup half and half

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside. 

Melt butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaf and chicken and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. 

Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached. 

Buttermilk Lemon Cake with Candied Lemons

Soooo I had this craving for anything and everything that was lemony!!!! I could've just eaten a plain lemon for all I care BUT that wouldn't be as fun or tasty as a cake or cupcakes!!! So cake it is then......so here is my 10'oclock I want lemon cake recipe!!! 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.

While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.

Using a fork, poke holes in warm cakes. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool.

LEMON FROSTING 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of butter, softened (2 sticks)
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon zest
5-6 cups of confectioners sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, mix butter until it is softened and uniform.  Add cream cheese and beat together until it is uniform.  Add 3 cups of sugar to the mixture and mix.  Add lemon zest and 2 more cups of sugar.  Mix again until mixture is creamy and spreadable.  Add more sugar if necessary, otherwise prepare to frost cake.

Bleu Mushroom Spinach Quiche

One of my good friends is not too big on meats and she doesn't like wait for it......BACON!!!!! I know it's shocking but it's true. Some of her favorite things are blue cheese, spinach and mushrooms. We were having a ladies brunch yesterday and I decided to make something that I knew she would love(because I'm such a good friend) and to use some of the fresh blue cheese she brought me(because she's a good friend). So here is a fantastic recipe that will appeal to any vegetarian, or maybe just someone who wants to get more veggies in their diet. ENJOY!!!

INGREDIENTS:

mushrooms(sliced)

½ tsp minced garlic

1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach

4 large eggs 

1 cup fat free/ low % milk

6 oz. fresh blue cheese(crumbled)

¼ cup grated parmesan 

½ cup shredded pizza mix cheese

salt & pepper 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If your frozen spinach is not already thawed, thaw it in the microwave. Empty into a colander and let it drain while prepare rest.
2. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium. Rinse the mushrooms. Place the sliced mushrooms in a skillet, add the minced garlic, and sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms until they release all of their moisture and no more water remains on the bottom of the skillet (a few minutes).
   
3. Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Squeeze the ALL of the water out of the spinach(very important) and spread it out on the bottom of the pie dish. Next add the cooked mushrooms and crumbled blue cheese.
   
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs until smooth. Add the milk, parmesan, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour this mixture over the spinach, mushrooms, and blue cheese.
5. Sprinkle the shredded pizza mix cheese over top. Place in the oven and bake until it is golden brown on top and the center is solid. Bake for 45 min-1hour. Slice and serve!
   
   
   

   
   

Ranch Chicken Tacos

TACOSSSSS........who doesn't like tacos?!?! Well even my husband said that these are fantastic....enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups cooked chicken, cut up

4 tblsp unsalted butter 
1 1/2 pkt. taco seasoning 
1/2 cup Ranch dressing 

taco shells hard or soft

Any toppings

DIRECTIONS:

Trim the fat from the chicken. Then boil. Once boiled cut the chicken into pieces. 

Heat 2 tblsp of butter in a pan over medium heat and add chicken. Add taco seasoning and sauté. Make sure you stir so you can get taco seasoning in every piece of chicken. Add ranch dressing and continue to sauté. At this point I let sit for a bit until it started to carmelizes and bits got stick to pan. I added the rest of the butter and scraped the bits of pieces off the bottom(kinda deglazing) and mucked well. Turn off the heat. Serve with your toppings. 

I used cilantro, lettuce, lime, cheese, and tomatoes on soft taco shells. 

Stromboli

Sooooooo I wanted it so I made it. Here's the best pizza dough recipe that I have ever made.....it's perfect. You can customize anyway you want...I decided to add garlic, herbs and cheese but you do what you like. This recipe is for a machine with a 2 lb. loaf capacity and can be divided into two balls. 

Fill bread machine pan in the following order:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup. Warm Water

3 Tablespoon.vegetable oil

1 tsp. salt

4 Cups all purpose flour

1/4  Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder 

2 Tablespoons. Italian seasoning

2 tsp. bread machine yeast.

Directions:

Start bread maker on the dough cycle. Watch dough as it begins to mix. You want all the dough to mix into a ball with out being too dry or too sticky.  My dough cycle takes 1 1/2 hours. 

Start out by spreading your pizza dough out into a rectangle on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce over most of the dough, leaving a 3 inch border. 

Get your favorite cheese and sprinkle over the sauce. Then add your favorite ingredients.....I used pepperoni, hard salami and mushrooms. 

Make an egg was and brush the sides. Fold up the two shorter sides about an inch and now roll it up as tight as you can! Roll towards the 3" left untouched. 

Brush the whole thing with the egg wash. And cut venting slits on top. Sprinkle with cheese and the Italian seasonings. 

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 mins. Until golden. Let cool before slicing. And enjoy. 

Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Salted Carmel and Bacon

I love cupcakes and when one of my YW(young women) from church suggested I make cupcakes I was like DUH!!!! So here it is...ENJOY!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tblsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter(melted)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. And place liners in cupcake pan.

In a bowl combine 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Stir to mix and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar with 1 large egg until smooth. Add in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup unsalted butter that has been melted and cooled. Continue to whisk together.

Fold in the flour mixture mixing with a spoon until batter is smooth. 

Fill the liners 3/4 with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

SALTED CARMEL:

Brown Sugar

1/2 stick Butter (4 Tablespoons)

1/2 cup Cream

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Pinch Of Sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until thicker. Turn off heat. 

Buttercream:

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• In a mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

  
  

  BACON: 

  I just took slices of bacon and stacked them then used my kitchen shears and cut directly into pan. I fried on high. Keep an eye out so they don't burn. 

  
  

  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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Short Rib Chili

I was watching one of my favorite channels.....FOOD NETWORK and Giada De Laurentis was making short rib chili and I was like omg why haven't I tried doing this. I read her recipe and adjusted some ingredients in her recipe to make it better fit me and my family. I hope you enjoy because we did!!! And Happy New Year!! 

INGREDIENTS:

SHORT RIB CHILI:

3 pounds bone-in short ribs
Hawaiian course salt or Kosher and pepper,
1/4 cup +1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2-1/2 cups beef stock, 
6 dried ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded
2 (15 ounce) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

Fresh parsley(garnish)

CHEESY POLENTA:

2 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup polenta....yellow grits
ground pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces sharp shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS: 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Heavily salt and pepper the short ribs.

In a large heavy pot add the EVOO and set over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add in the short ribs. Only cook a few pieces at a time so you don't crowd the pan. Sear each side until browned, they won't be cooked through. SEARING: "carmelizes outside to keep juices in". Set the short ribs aside in a bowl. 

When all the meat has been cooked lower the heat to medium and add in onion. Saute the onion until it starts to get translucent. Add in garlic and cook until you start to smell it. 

Add in 1 tblsp of EVOO, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder and simmer on low while you prepare the chili mixture. 

In a blender or food processor(which I used) add 1/2 cup beef stock, dried chilies and 1 can fire roasted tomatoes. Process on high until smooth with no traces of dried anchos. 

Pour mixture into the pot. Add in the remaining 2 cups beef stock and remaining can of fire roasted tomatoes. Stir together. 

Add ribs back to the pot and don't forget the drippings with it. 

Turn on medium high and bring to a boil....watch your pot so it doesn't burn. Once boiling cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours. 

After 3 hours remove the pot from the oven and remove meat. It should be so tender that it falls off the bones. Remove any of the bones and pieces of fat. Shred the rest of the meat. 

You will see oil go to the surface of the pot. Carefully skim the surface to remove as much as you can. Add in the meat. Gently simmer on the stove until the mixture is warmed.

Serve over cheesy polenta and sprinkle with parsley. 

CHEESY POLENTA:

In a large high sided skillet add stock, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and slowly whisk in polenta. Once all the polenta has been added turn the heat down to low and slowly whisk until thick and creamy. 

Remove from heat and stir in pepper, butter and cheese. Serve with chili.