Friday, July 15, 2011

Chicken and Ham Tetrazzini

In my hunt for all things creamy, starchy, and have no tomato sauce in sight - I stumbled across this beauty. It's from my Complete Cooking Light cookbook from forever ago (one of my FAV's). You can buy one HERE for $10?! That's a deal!! Everything I've tried in this cookbook is a keeper!

Anyway, there are quite a few ingredients but don't let that scare you away!! This is SO yummy.

cook 7 oz. spaghetti in boiling water until done. drain and set aside.

melt 2 tbsp. margerine in a large skillet and add:
1 C sliced mushrooms (I took this out because I hate them)
1 C chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
2 garlic cloves.

saute until soft. Then add:

1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper

stir for 30 seconds. Add:

1 1/4 C low fat milk.

Stir until thick, about 2-3 minutes.

stir in 1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese,
1/4 C chicken stock,
1 can cream of mushroom soup and
1/3 C parmesan cheese. remove from heat.

Add 1 1/2 C chopped pre-cooked chicken,
3/4 C diced ham, and
1 4 oz. jar pimentos.

combine cooked spaghetti and ham/chicken mixture, and then pour into 9x13 sprayed with cooking spray. Top with 1/3 C parmesan cheese, 1/2 C cheddar, and a sprinkle of paprika.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes. I served this with wheat rolls and corn. (any veggie side would work)

This is supposed to serve 6, but after my 3 kids ate kid-like servings and Dave and I ate full adult size servings, we still have more than half the pan left. This is SO creamy, I loved it. (keep in mind, this could be pregnancy talking)




Thursday, July 14, 2011

Fresh Cherry Crisp

  Cherries went on sale for an astonishing 1.88/lb at a local store so I HAD to snatch some up. I've done this recipe once before and really wanted to try it again. It is beyond delicious!!

adapted from: allrecipes.com


Ingredients

  • Filling
  • 4 cups pitted sour cherries
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  •  
  • Topping
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. In a large bowl, combine the topping ingredients(except cream cheese). Pour into 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. drop pinched cream cheese pieces all over the cherry filling and then top with oat/sugar topping. (note: this is a LOT of topping for the amount of fruit but I'm a big fan of topping. if you prefer more fruit and less topping then just use half of it and save it for next time.)
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

The cream cheese almost gives it a danish feeling to it, and SO yummy. Top with vanilla ice cream to throw you over the edge. If you are maybe short on cherries, then you could go half and half with peaches or something like that.



Monday, July 4, 2011

Best Potato Soup EVER!

  It's a bold statement, I know. But seriously, this is THE best potato soup in. the. world. Do you hear me?!

Best.
soup.
in.
the.
world.

Oh, you need proof? Well, here's the proof.

I am 12 weeks pregnant. That's right, for the last 6 weeks I've been either holding my head in the toilet retching, laying on the couch trying not to, and trying to decide what I could try to eat that will stay down. And that's WITH Zofran and Phenergen in my system. I've only lost 5 pounds so far (thank heavens), and feel like there is no end in sight!

But tonight? I made this soup and ate 3 servings. It was delicious. and I'm sitting on the couch with no desire to throw up at all. It's a MIRACLE!

Without further ado:

Potato Ham Soup
taken from allrecipes


  • 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
  • 1/3 cup diced celery
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
  • 3 1/4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk


  1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
  2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

It's supposed to make 8 servings but after 3 of the 5 of us had seconds (or thirds), and the little boys barely ate any, we MAYBE had enough leftovers for 2.

Go make it - you won't regret it!