Chicken Pot Jarpies

Borrowing an idea from here, I made chicken pot pie in a jar.

Crust:

6 cups flour
1 Tbsp Salt
2 cups Butter Flavored Crisco, chilled
~ 1/4 cup water

Filling:

2 large russet potatoes; peeled, diced, and boiled
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely diced
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded leftover chicken
1/2 (6 oz) bag mixed vegetables
2 cups cream soup mix**
1-1/2 cups water**
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
pepper
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 to 2 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 Tbsp paprika

Pie crust: Mix flour and salt. Cut in Crisco until mixed well. Stir in the water a few tablespoonsful at a time until dough sticks together. Split into four portions and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to cool.

Filling: Boil and drain potatoes. Add olive oil to large skillet. Stir in garlic and onion and cook until onion begins to soften. Stir in potatoes, chicken, spices, cream soup mix, flour, seasonings. When well blended stir in cheese. Set aside to cool.

Retrieve the pie crust from the refrigerator one bundle at a time. Roll out until 1/4 inch thick. Using a lid from the jars cut out circles. Repeat process until you have 24 circles. Place one circle in bottom of each jar. Using scraps of dough cover sides of jar. Add filling to jars and place circles on top. Cut slits or use a mini cookie cutter to make steam vents in top of pies.

At this point you can put the lids on the pies and freeze or bake. If baking, place on cookie sheet and place in cold oven. Turn oven to 375 degrees and cook 45-50 minutes. To bake frozen pies, place in cold oven and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Mild and tasty Jambalaya

2 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
5 tsp chicken bouillon powder
5 cups water
2 Tbsp Worcesertshire sauce
A few dashes of pepper sauce
1 lb salad shrimp, precooked and shelled

In olive oil, brown chicken and saute onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery. Cook until meat is browned and veggies are tender. Add cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well. Add rice, bouillon powder and water. Cook 20 minutes until rice is done. Add Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce and shrimp. Mix well and do not overcook the shrimp.

Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I made the best pot roast the other day and I have to document what I did so I can make this again.

1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 lbs thick chuck steak
1 Tbsp beef bouillon powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushroom stems & pieces
1 cup water
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2-3 Tbsp water

Place everything except cornstarch and last bit of water in the slow cooker and cook on high for 6-7 hours. Remove the pot roast to a serving dish with the onions and mushrooms. Strain the liquid into a large pan and bring to a boil. Whisk together cornstarch and smaller amount of water. Whisk roux into the gravy and stir well to prevent lumps. Simmer 1-2 minutes and serve.

I served this with mashed potatoes. The pot roast was yummy and it was the best gravy I have ever made.

Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups milk
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and granulated sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in vanilla extract. Alternate milk and flour mixture until everything is mixed, batter will resemble chocolate mousse. Bake 13"x9" pan for 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.

Chicken and Dumplings

3 cups milk
2 cups frozen green peas and carrots
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces) condensed creamy chicken mushroom soup
2 cups baking mix (Bisquick, Jiffy, Pioneer Brand, etc)
2/3 cup milk
Paprika


Heat milk, peas and carrots, chicken and soup to boiling in large pot, stirring frequently.

Stir baking mix and 2/3 cup milk until soft dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto chicken mixture (do not drop directly into liquid). Sprinkle with paprika.

Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Also works well with leftover turkey.

Spanish Rice

I also found this wonderful Spanish Rice Recipe at the same site I found the Enchilada Sauce Recipe. The original recipe can be found here. I made the following changes, used 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth and one 8 oz can of tomato sauce instead of tomato puree. I omitted the peas as we just are not big fans of them. I also used an orange bell pepper this time, but a red or green would be more aesthetically pleasing.

* 12 inch frying pan, with tight fitting lid
* 2 cups long grain white rice
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 1 yellow onion cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 bell pepper any color, cut into 1 inch pieces
* 3 cloves of garlic, minced or 3 heaping tsp garlic powder
* 3/4 cup tomato puree
* 2 tsp sea salt
* 2 3/4 cups of chicken broth
* 3/4 cup of frozen peas


Directions:

Add the oil to the pan and put heat on to medium high. Add the rice and saute until golden brown approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Then add the onion and bell pepper and saute another 5 - 10 minutes.

The important thing is to make sure the rice is toasted to a nice golden brown.

Using a garlic press, add the minced fresh garlic by squeezing the press and cutting off the garlic as it comes out, with a knife.

Continue to saute for an additional 3 minutes. You will notice a wonderful garlic aroma.

Add the tomato puree, chicken broth and salt. Stir and turn heat up to high. Bring to a full boil while stirring. Continue to boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

New Enchilada Sauce Recipe

I found the best Enchilada Sauce recipe today. It turned out wonderfully. I got it here.

* 2 cups chicken broth
* 4 Tbs Gebhardt Chili Powder
* 1 tsp. ground cumin
* 2 heaping tsp. garlic powder (with no salt added)
* 3/4 tsp. salt
* 1 pinch ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 tsp.)
* 1/3 tsp. sugar
* 5 Tbs. cold water
* 5 Tbs. white flour

Directions:

In a 2 quart sauce pan add the chicken broth, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon and sugar (the sugar is a little secret to eliminate any bitter taste from the chili powder).

Use a whisk to mix everything well. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Whisk frequently to make sure all spices dissolve. This is important for flavor and a nice smooth sauce.

While the sauce is on a slow simmer/boil, add 5 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.

With another whisk mix 1 tablespoon at a time of flour. Whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. If you have lumps here, you will definitely have lumps in your sauce.

After 3 minutes of cooking sauce, turn the heat up to high. Very slowly, pour the flour mixture into the boiling sauce. Here you must whisk the sauce vigorously while adding the flour to avoid lumps.

After all the flour is added, continue to whisk for one minute. You can turn the heat down to medium during this time. Just make sure the sauce is boiling.

Turn off the heat, this enchilada sauce recipe is done.

You will notice that as this sauce sits it will form a "skin" on the surface. This is normal and in fact the longer the sauce sits the thicker this skin becomes. All you have to do is peel the skin off and throw it away.

As you can see, this enchilada sauce recipe is very quick to make.

Wheat Free Lab Approved Dog Carrot Cookies

1 lb. baby carrots
water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups rye flour
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

Place carrots in pan, cover with water and boil until soft enough to puree in blender. Put carrots and enough water to blend to get 3 cups of carrot puree. Let cool.

Mix carrots, egg, garlic and olive oil. Add salt, flour and oatmeal.

Spoon by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten to size you would like (can also cook as dough balls, but they take longer to bake). Bake at 300 for 30 minutes. Longer for crisper cookies (my lab is elderly so I made these slightly soft).

Yield: Approximately 80 cookies

Stuffed Mushrooms

8 oz container whole mushrooms
1 bunch green onions
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tsp Worchestershire Sauce
1/4 c bread crumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350. Clean and stem mushrooms. Place mushroom caps in baking dish and lightly salt. Chop stems and green onions, saute in butter until soft. Add Worchestershire sauce, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. Place small mounds of stuffing in mushroom caps. Add 2 Tbsp water to baking dish (I assume this is to keep them from drying out, it was in all the recipes I found). Bake for 20 minutes. Attempt to share with the others in your household. This part is difficult because these are so yummy.

Hershey's 5 Minute Fudge Brownies

This recipe used to be on the back of the cocoa can.

¾ c Hershey’s baking cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
2/3 c vegetable oil
½ c boiling water
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Stir the cocoa and baking soda together. Blend in 1/3 c vegetable oil and add the boiling water. Stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining oil until smooth. Add flour, vanilla extract and salt; blend well. Pour into a lightly greased 13” x 9” pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or pour into two 8” square pans and bake at same temperature for 30-32 minutes.