Garbage Buffalo Chicken Bread

Garbage Buffalo Chicken Bread

Not a tasty name for this, but if you like spicy chicken and pizza, then you will like this! 

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 tsp olive oil 

1 pizza dough (either homemade or store bought letting it sit for 30 minutes)

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Frank's Wing Sauce

1/3 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cut chicken into cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the teaspoon of olive oil in skillet and add chicken. Cook chicken completely then add 1/4 cup of the wing sauce. Stir to cook chicken and let simmer for a minute or two. Take chicken off the heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a well floured surface, spread pizza dough into a long rectangular shape.

Add ranch or blue cheese dressing (depending on your preference) and the remaining 1/4 of the wing sauce. Spread across the dough. Add chicken and then top with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. You can add a bit more of the wing sauce on top of the cheese if you want it a bit spicer.

Roll the dough like a pinwheel until you reach the end. Make sure to tuck the ends of the dough in so the middle doesn't ooze out when baking.

Spray baking sheet with light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Place the garbage bread on the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Let sit for 5 minutes then cut into and enjoy!

Note: For even baking, place the rack in the middle of the oven to prevent from the bread being under cooked in the centre.

#buffalochickenbread #spicychicken

Junie Lemasters

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs

2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons drained capers

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 

Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano.

 Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

#chicken #chickencacciatore #comfortfood

Giada De Laurentiis

After a long hiatus, I'm back! I do not post any recipes until I have tested them myself making sure they are to my liking and is simply made. This way I can give you my true opinions! During the winter months I find I am not as busy in the kitchen as I am in the summer and fall with the fresh garden vegetables. However, I do have recipes to follow. Hope you enjoy them as I have enjoyed making them :)

Baccalà Tomato Sauce with Linguine (Cod Fish)

Baccalà Tomato Sauce with Linguine (Cod Fish)
Christmas time is baccala season in our home! It's one of my favortie fish as I have mentioned in the past. This is a new recipe I have found and will make it again. Only I substituted fresh homemade fettuccini because that is what I like just as you can adjust any recipe to your liking :)

A traditional Christmas Eve preparation to honor the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This sauce is served with linguine, and like most Italian sauces, it should be light and thin in consistency—just thick enough to coat the pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 small onion, cut in half
• 1/2 of a red pepper, cut into 2 large pieces
• Crushed red hot pepper, optional
• 2 (28-ounce) cans DeLallo Imported Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds baccalà, prepared
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• Salt, if needed
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare and soak your baccala at least 3 days prior.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and pepper pieces and allow to cook until they just begin to get golden in color and the onion have softened, about 8 minutes. Add 
crushed pepper and tomatoes, then bring to a soft boil, stirring often. Lower the heat, add the baccalà pieces and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the chopped parsley and season, as needed, with salt and simmer for another 10 minutes. Be careful not to over-salt, as the fish may already bring enough salt to the finished sauce. Turn off the heat and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve this sauce with linguine cooked al dente sprinkled with lots of parmesan cheese. I preferred to let the pasta sit for about 5 minutes to absorb the sauce.
The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Serves 8 to 10

#baccala #codfish #fishpasta
Recipe courtesy of DeLallo

Roasted Chicken with Chicken Soup

Roasted Chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut up

Olive oil, about 1 tablespoon

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Fresh chopped rosemary, about 1 teaspoon

Breadcrumbs, about 1 tablespoon (optional)

Directions 

Place chicken in a large bowl. 

Add the rest of the ingredients except the breadcrumbs and mix well. Add breadcrumbs and toss just to coat.

Line foil wrap on a baking pan (for easy clean up) and place chicken on it.

Bake for about 1 hour till nicely golden brown.

Simple Chicken Soup

What to do with the chicken back and wing tips? Why make chicken broth with it!

Ingredients

About 6 cups water
Chicken back and wing tips

1 large carrot cut into thirds

2 celery stalks cut in half

1 small onion cut in half

2 sprig parsley (and more for garnish)

Salt and pepper

1 egg

Parmesan cheese

Directions

Add water and chicken to saucepan and bring to a boil skimming off the fat.

Add rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and partially cover with lid and cook about 2 hours. Just before the end of the cooking time of broth, cook noodles till al dente, strain.

Strain the broth, return to saucepan along with the carrots, add noodles and bring to a boil. In a bowl, beat egg adding desired amount of parmesan cheese and add parsley garnish. Add to broth stirring immediately with a fork to break egg up. Turn heat off and let sit for a few minutes before serving because it will be very hot!

If you wish add a tossed salad for a complete nutritional meal!
#roastedchicken #chickenbroth #homemademeals.
Recipies courtesy of Foodie Fran 

Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies!

Easy peasy is all I can say say about these delicious cookie recipes because that is what the Foodie Fran Blog is all about!

Butter and Jam Thumbprints - makes 48

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks), softened

2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup raspberry, cherry, or strawberry jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients, in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated. 

Scoop the dough into *1 inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into each centre of the ball, about 1/2 inch deep. Fill each print with about 3/4 teaspoon of jam.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies on the baking sheets. 

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

*Note

I found it easier to roll all the dough first then roll in sugar and I've also see a thimble or the back of a cone shaped coffee scoop to for thumbprints for consistency.

#christmascookies #thumbprints

Mexican Wedding Cookies (probably my favourite)

Ingredients

1cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners's sugar, plus more for coating cookies 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands

1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat n the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With flours hands, take out about 1 teaspoon of dough and shape into a crescent. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 4 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in additional confectioner's sugar. Cool on wire racks.

Notes and Tips: These cookies are very delicate while still warm. The can break very easy. I found it quicker to roll the dough into a long log and then cut the dough into size all at once first then shape.

##christmascookies #mexicanweddingcookies

Candy Cane Cookies

This takes a little longer but a lovely addition to the variety in a tray.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons almond extract 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon red food colouring

24 pieces round peppermint candy

1/4 cup sugar 

Melted chocolate for drizzling, optional

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixer or by hand, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in egg, almond extract, vanilla and salt. Blend flour into mixture in several additions, beat until just combined.

Remove half the dough from the bowl. Blend red food colouring into half remaining in the bowl until the colour is even. Cover dough with a kitchen towel to keep from drying out as you work. Use a floured teaspoon to measure 1 teaspoon each of white and red dough for each cookie. Roll into 4 inch ropes on a lightly floured surface. Place a Rd and white rope side by side, press together lightly and twist to form a spiral. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Curve top down to form handle of a candy cane. Bake until set, about 9 minutes. While the cookies are baking, put peppermint candies in a resealable plastic bag and crush into small pieces with a rolling pin. Mix the candy with the sugar. Place cooling rack over shallow pan. 

Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet and gently place on cooling rack. Sprinkle with candy/sugar mixture.

Optional: Cool cookies, drizzle with melted chocolate, and add more candy mixture on top of chocolate.

#christmascookies #candycanecookies

Almond Biscotti  - Makes 54 Biscotti 

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups whole toast almonds         325ml

3 cups all purpose flour                       750ml

1 2/3 cups sugar                                  400ml

1/2 tsp salt                                               2ml

1 tsp baking powder                                5ml

2 lemons - grated rind only                      2

1 orange - grated rind only                       1

3 large eggs                                              3

1 tsp vanilla extract                                   5ml

1/3 cup canola oil                                    75ml

1 milk chocolate bar                                85g

2 tbsp butter                                            25ml

Directions

Grease and lightly flour two baking sheets. 

In a bowl, mix together all purpose flour, sugar salt and baking powder.

In a large bowl whisk rind, eggs, vanilla and oil.

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture combining to form a soft dough.

*Stir in whole almonds.

With well floured hands, gather dough into a ball. Divide dough in three equal parts. 

On a well floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 12"x2" log.

Bake at 350*F (180*C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes,

Slice logs at a slight diagonal into 5/8" wide pieces. Turn biscotti onto cut side.

Bake at 300*F (350*) for 10 to15 minutes on each side.

Let cool. 

Chocolate Drizzle: In a double boiler, melt milk chocolate and butter together, stirring constantly until melted. Using fork, drizzle chocolate on top of each biscotti.

*Note: Sliced almonds works just as well.

#almondbiscotti #italiancookies

Blueberry Almond Bread

Blueberry Almond Bread

Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 cups blueberries tossed with 1 tablespoon of flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; coat well with cooking spray.

Whisk vegetable oil, plain yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Separately whisk flour, sugar, sliced almonds, old fashioned oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add 1 1/4 cup blueberries tossed with 1 tablespoon flour. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool 1 hour, then remove the loaf from the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

#blueberries #loaf #blueberryloaf

Food Network Magazine