Chicken whatscha ma call it!

Hi Everyone:

Every now and again I try to use what I have in my pantry and refrigerator to make our meal of the day.  Today was one of those  days.  

The name reflects just that.  

Enjoy!

1 lb. thinly sliced chicken breasts
1/2 cup butter ( you can use less)
1 clove  minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 T Philadelphia cream cheese and chive spread
1/2 lb. angel hair pasta cooked a'dente

Saute chicken in butter and garlic

Add softened cream cheese and chive spread

Whisk until blended

Add chicken and simmer until pasta is cooked

Melt butter on medium in large skillet.  Add minced garlic and simmer until you can smell the garlic. Add chicken. Pinch of salt and pepper and cook chicken until no longer pink.

Remove chicken onto a large plate.

In the same skillet that you have cooked the chicken add the broth. When broth starts to boil add cream cheese.  Whisk until cream cheese is melted.  Add chicken and simmer slowly.

While chicken is simmering in broth mixture cook pasta until a’dente. Drain and add to creamed mixture.

Toss and serve.  Enjoy!! We sure did!

Strawberry cream cheese cobbler

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 quarts whole strawberries, capped and washed
4 ounces cream cheese, cut in small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour directly over the butter in the baking dish, but do not stir.

Add the strawberries, arranging in a single layer as much as possible. Sprinkle cream cheese pieces over strawberries. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and edges are bubbling. (Crust rises up and around the fruit, but fruit will still peek out of top.)

Easter Ham and Cheese Pie; A Family Tradition from long ago!

Back by popular request. An Easter favorite!


Traditionally Easter was the time of the year Grandma and Mom made their Easter Pie.   Mom and Grandma made their own pie crust but I found this recipe to be pretty close to their recipe using refrigerated pie crust.   I have Mom's original but I am still looking through her recipes to find it.  Seriously she has lots of recipes!!!! When I do find it I'll post her original, until then try this recipe.   I think you may like it and if you do let me know.  I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to your

M. J.

1 double pie crust dough
2 lbs. ricotta
1 cup grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons dried or fresh parsley
4 beaten eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. chopped ham, cooked sausage or genoa salami
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper
1 egg beaten, to brush on top

Line a a 9 or 10 in pie pan with half of the crust.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour into pie shell. 
Top with remaining crust.  Brush crust with beaten egg,  Bake 350 degrees for on hour.

4/6/12

Lasagna: My way!

Perfect!

  My mom and mother in law made their own homemade pasta which is very easy to do and I have made it many times!  I'll share the link:  Pasta Dough    The pasta dough is very easy to make and I use my pasta machine so it is really easy.  Mom and Lil ,my mother in law, had very strong arms and rolled those pasta sheets so very thin.  I rely on the pasta machine..just sayin!


**This is a short cut recipe for us modern day people!


I make lasagna every now and again because it's easy and freezable.  I love to freeze meals.  It may be a little more work the day you are preparing it but in the long run it'll really help you out when you just don't know what to have for a quick meal...

Here's my basic recipe:

I make a hearty meat sauce which includes bulk sausage or thinly sliced  Italian sweet or hot sausage.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef and pork(sliced sausage or meatballs can be added)
2 large cans crushed tomatoes or tomato purée 
1 large can tomato sauce
2 or 3 large fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
2 or 3 cloves minced garlic

Approximately 1  1/2 tsp Salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large dutch oven pot place several tablespoons olive oil. Add cooked ground meat and cooked sausage.  Cook over medium heat breaking ground meat into pieces while cooking. Add salt, pepper and minced garlic. Cook until browned slightly.  Drain off excess grease and then add the tomatoes, sauce and basil.  Cover slightly and bring sauce to a slight bubble and simmer for approximately 2 hours or more. 

Note: I’ve made this recipe in my crockpot making sure to brown my meat before placing in the crockpot. Then adding the rest of ingredients.

Check out all my Pasta Sauce recipes on the right side of the blog under Labels.. 

If you want to take a short cut , use ground beef and pork and fry until browned, adding some salt, pepper and garlic, add one of your favorite jarred sauces and simmer until meat is tender..

Next I use Barilla no cook lasagna pasta noodles  Usually 2 boxes will be needed for a large lasagna pan.  1 Box fits nicely in a 13x9 in pan.

1 -15 oz. ricotta cheese
Approximately 2 cups or more shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 cup extra mozzarella for top as needed
1 egg 
1+cup Pecorino Romano or Romano cheese( save some for top)
Approximately 4 cups meat sauce for a large lasagna pan.

Mix cheeses with egg. Using  a medium size deep baking dish place some sauce and then put the first layer of no boil noodles. 

Then by spoonful while spreading place cheese mixture then add some more sauce , sliced sausage and repeat layers until you have made 4 to 5 layers.  Top with remaining sauce and some mozzarella and grated cheese..

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 to 60 minutes covered...(for a large lasagna pan) Less for a 13x9.  Approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Take cover off and bake additional 5 minutes or so to make sure cheese on top has melted and is bubbly.  Enjoy!!!

Put a large amount of sauce in bottom of pan.  I used 10 x 14 pan.

Layer sauce then pasta, ricotta mixture, sauce, pasta, ricotta mixture until you have approx. 4 layers

Easy to make lasagna with no boil pasta noodles.

Family favorites recipes from my family to yours, 

10/14/11 original

3/18/13

Cheesecake of all cheesecake recipe..."Aunt Alda's" Cheesecake recipe + Cool Gift #10

Many years ago this recipe was handed down to me by my favorite aunt on my hubby's side also known as "Aunt Alda". She is smiling down from heaven knowing that I am continuing the Christmas tradition making her recipe. xo


Here is a recipe that my hubby's aunt gave me many years ago and it is the best!!

I have a few of Aunt Alda's recipes and today I would like to share her cheesecake recipe.  You can follow this as I have before with success or try it my way.  I decided this was a good time to try it with a different twist.  I will post the recipe as the original. :  Enjoy!  

Happy Baking

2– 8 oz. Pkg. Cream cheese softened

1 lb. Ricotta

1 ½ cups sugar

1 stick margarine (I use butter)

5 eggs

1 large container sour cream (15 oz.)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cream butter, sugar and cream cheese.  Add Ricotta and 5 eggs.. Add cornstarch, flour and sour cream beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and lemon juice to mixture beating well until all is blended..  Butter spring form pan and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.. Pour mixture slowly into pan and bake 325 approx. 1 hour 10 minutes..  You can  use a 9” springform pan or larger..Cool on wire rack.. Serve alone or with favorite topping. I have made this recipe with success as is but wanted to change it a bit so I did the following:

Note: I wanted to add a little twist to Aunt Alda’s recipe so I separated my eggs, beat the egg whites separately and added them to the mixture at the very end, hoping to get a lighter cheesecake.  I also used  butter instead of margarine in my recipe and used a cooking spray to coat pan before sprinkling with the graham cracker crumbs.  My final opinion is stick to Aunt Alda's way of making this cheesecake. My way was a little too soft but very light so if you like soft and light make it my way but if you like dense cheesecake make it Aunt Alda's way.  To make sure your cheesecake is set leave the cheesecake in your refrigerator overnight before you take it out of the spring form pan.  Happy Baking!

Cool Gift #10 

Salt and Pepper Grinders!!!  Mine are battery operated and light.   Really cool!

I love these..I bought them on overstock.com for $19.99

From my happy kitchen with love,

10/1/11 original 
8/21/14