Delicious Drummies

Long day. Longer week. Comfort food.
Another winning recipe. I love when I can make one thing and everyone loves it.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Garfield… Recipes with Cattitude.
Ingredients
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 lbs chicken drumsticks
Directions
Mix flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl; place butter in a separate shallow bowl. Dip drumsticks into butter; roll in flour mixture to coat. Arrange in an ungreased 8” x 8” baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 F for about 50 minutes, until chicken juices run clear when pierced. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup

Comfort food time. I had BIG plans for today as I had off of work and the girls had school. BIG plans. I was going to finish up laundry, polyurethane more molding, shop for care package supplies, bath the dogs, clean the house and bake something sweet and yummy. I did none of that. Instead I stayed in my pajamas as long as I could, Skyped with Christopher, slept some more, ate ice cream and had a pity party for one. Lol. I’m in the blah stage of the deployment, I’m done now send him home. Augh! Some days just drag. This shall pass but in the meantime I need comfort food and not even the finicky of eaters can turn down chicken noodle soup. The only thing I did different was cooking the noodles in the soup. I think it gives them some extra flavor.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Farmhouse Favorites.
Ingredients
16 oz package, thin egg noodles, uncooked
12 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
4 cups cooked chicken, diced
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine broth, salt and poultry seasoning in a very large pot; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in vegetables; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetable are tender. Combine cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl; gradually add to soup, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in chicken and noodles; heat through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Love! Baby Portabella Mushrooms!
You can really use any kind but those are my go to mushrooms. Add chicken and I'm one happy girl. I don't think I could ever tire of chicken and mushrooms. Would love to blog some more but have very little time. Will have to catch up soon.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for the cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--
Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Meals in Minutes 10th Anniversary Edition.
Ingredients
12 oz package fettuccine pasta
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, chopped
7 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups half and half
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
Directions
Prepare paste according a to package directions; drain. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté mushrooms and onion in one tablespoon butter until golden; remove from skillet. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet; whisk in flour, salt and pepper, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Add half and half; boil for one minute. Remove from heat; mix in broth, chicken, fettuccine and mushroom mixture. Spoon into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; set aside. Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs; spread over casserole. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes. Serves 6.
 

Scrumptious Chicken Sandwiches

Holy taste buds! I never would have thought to add powdered sugar to coat my chicken. That little bit of sweetness is what makes this sandwich stand out. Amazing.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all purpose flour
2-1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice, optional
Oil for frying
4 to 6 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
Garnish: mayonnaise, dill pickle slices
Directions
Mix egg and milk together in an 11” x 7” baking pan. Place chicken in pan, turn to coat and refrigerate for one hour. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and spices. In a heavy skillet, heat on inch of oil to 400 F. Working in batches of 3, drain chicken, reserving egg mixture and lightly dredge in flour mixture. Dip back into egg mixture, then into flour mixture again. Place very carefully into hot oil. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until done on both sides and juices run clear. Drain chicken on a wire rack. Assemble sandwiches on toasted buns and garnish as desired. Make 4 to 6.

Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Nothing is better at the end of a Monday than a big bowl of comfort. This recipe is great for after a long work day. I roasted my chicken in the morning before heading to work. Once home dinner was prepared and ready to go within 30 minutes. So easy. My only suggestion is to cook it in something larger than a saucepan for those biscuits will poof up an stick to your lid.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
4 cups chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 (15 oz) cans mixed vegetables
2 (12 oz) tubes refrigerated biscuits, quartered
Directions
Bring soup and broth to a slow boil in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken and vegetables; bring to a boil. Drop biscuit quarters into soup; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Captain Crunch Chicken

Captain Crunch cereal.
Boneless chicken.
Fun child friendly food. Right?
NOT for my finicky eater. What a little food snob butthead. *lol* I first made this last week when Christopher wasn’t home. Haillie and I loved it while Abby was whining “why would you do this?” Sigh. Anyhow, this quick fix meal was perfect for our busy day. The morning started off with me rushing to get all the laundry done. Check. Nephew’s birthday presents wrapped. Check. Skruffy needed a good walk before being crated. Check. Everyone ready to go and out of the house by 10:30a. Check. Did anyone remember the camera? Of course not. Even though I don’t have any photos of my cute nephews and niece I enjoyed the time spent with our family. If only they lived closer so we could hang out more.
This recipe is suppose to be a copycat of Planet Hollywood’s Chicken Crunch. I think it’s pretty darn close. Do you have a favorite copycat recipe and if so what is it?

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Ingredients
2 cups Captain Crunch cereal
1-1/2 cups corn flakes
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 lbs chicken breasts, cut in 1-oz tenders
vegetable oil (for frying)
Directions
Coarsely grind or crush the two cereals and set aside. Beat the egg with milk and set aside. Stir together the flour, onion and garlic powders and black pepper. Set aside. Dip the chicken: pieces in the seasoned flour. Move around to coat well, then shake off the excess flour. Dip in the egg wash, coating well, then dip in the cereal mixture, coating well. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet to 325 ⁰F. Drop coated chicken tenders carefully in the hot oil and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, 3 to 5 minutes depending on size.  Drain and serve immediately.

Chicken, Sweet Potato & Apple Skillet

Here’s a shocker…
Christopher is gone this entire week! I’m stuck cooking child friendly meals. This week is packed with butter noodles, mashed potatoes, pierogies, burgers and chicken strips.
Boring!
So I had to make myself something yummy and new for lunch. This dish was perfect since no one other than me will eat sweet potatoes. Since I was making it for one I kept all the ingredients the same expect I only used one chicken breast. The rest will be turned into chicken strips for the kiddos tonight.
Best lunch ever!

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Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2” cubes
4 tsp olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2” cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Return pan to heat and add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Stir in bacon and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potato and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in apple, garlic and thyme. Cook 3 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add reserved chicken and remaining 1/2 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Cook until heated through. Serve alone or over rice.

Rotisserie Chicken

Dinner was a hit tonight! It seems to always amaze my kiddos when I find another chicken recipe to try. This recipe is a fix it and forget it making it one of my favorites. I prepped the chicken the night before and added garlic with the onion in the cavity. I had plans for the leftovers but there was none left. I love meals like that.

Recipe from All Recipes
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Ingredients
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 onion, quartered
1 (4 lb) whole chicken
Directions
In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub the chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place the onion into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250 ⁰F. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 ⁰F. Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

It’s an NG kind of weekend. I swear I’m married but sometimes I feel like I’m lacking proof. Just me and the kiddos this weekend. Originally I was going to take the girls shopping but they both slept in too late. I did get all the laundry done and all our backyard sidewalks de-iced. Christopher didn’t make it home in time for dinner but did make it home before Abby. She was at a Valentine Dance. Sigh. My baby. He offered to go in uniform to pick her up so the boys know who her father was. As much as I loved that idea, for she was looking a tad too grown-up, I spared her that embarrassment. She owes me.
Dinner was scrumptious! I love stir fry, even more with honey and soy sauce over my chicken. Oh my! I already staked my claim on the leftovers.

Recipe from All Recipes
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Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tsp olive oil, divided
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16 oz) package frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
Hot cooked rice
Directions
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil. Add the honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Return chicken to the pan; mix well. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve over rice.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

Honesty isn't always the best policy. Like when your finicky eater asks, "What's all the green stuff?" and everyone at the table simultaneousness replies, "Parsley". She didn't comment back but she didn't eat the green stuff either. Everyone else ate it all up and had seconds. It was delicious but how can anything with melted cheese not be. Perfect ending to a not so perfect day.
I will not complain about the cold because we all know I AM FREEZING. Today for some reason Scruffy decided he wasn't housebroken. Oy. Just like any toddler, right when you think "by George I think they got it" - they don't. The little goober wasn't even making an attempt to go to the door. Then he knew he was in the wrong and wouldn't come near me. Fun times? Not so much. If I wasn't shoveling snow I was mopping the kitchen floor. Horrible day. Thankfully Christopher came home tonight, dinner was comforting, a quick batch of brownies were made, followed by some much need cuddle time on the couch. Sigh. This day really wasn't that bad after all.

Recipe from All Recipes.
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Ingredients
9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Tortellini Bites

Guard weekend = missing Christopher = comfort food.
I played chauffeur for the weekend. It started on Friday night when Abby had a friend sleep over. Skruffy was a noisy puppy the entire time and an extra kiddo in the house total threw off his whole schedule. That meant accidents on Saturday. Fun. He was such a little kid wanting to hang out with the big kids. He didn't nap the entire time making him run in circles like a crazy dog. Saturday I dropped Haillie off at a friend's house to go sledding. I have come to realize we are not a winter family. Trying to find appropriate snow clothes for her was challenging. I really need to buy that girl some gloves and snow pants. Just the thought of her outside in what little I sent her in made me shiver. After she was dropped off I took Abby's friend home and then back home to wait by the phone until my services were needed again. Due to lack of cell service Haillie ended up coming home via friend. Onto Sunday we go. Today I took the girls shopping for some unmentionables and gloves. Which apparently are out of season. Do you need a bikini? If so you are in luck for they are everywhere but heaven forbid you were to need gloves in January. It drives me insane.

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Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Pasta
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth, divided
1 (16 oz) package prepared cheese tortellini
Sauce
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ⁰F. Combine ground chicken, Ranch dressing mix and chesse. Mix thoroughly and form into mini balls, about 1 teaspoon of meat. Place on sprayed broiler rack. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, reserve 1-1/4 cups broth. Bring remaining broth to a boil in a large pot, add tortellini and cook until tender, drain well. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch into 1-1/4 cups of reserved broth. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic and basil in the butter or margarine for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add the cornstarch broth mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Place tortellini in a serving dish, pour the broth mixture and Parmesan cheese into the serving dish and toss.

Chicken & Stars Soup

Haillie and Abby went grocery shopping with me last week and that is how we ended up with a box of Stellini (star) pasta. They both were excited for me to make something with it. At first I was planning on make a simple chicken noodle soup and just add some stars to it. That sounded so boring. I then started off with my grandma's basic recipe and switched out the shredded chicken for chicken meatballs. Abby loves chicken meatballs. I then used my salad shooter to add shredded carrots and potatoes. The goal was to sneak them into the soup for flavor. Abby gave me the "finicky seal of approval". Whew. I thickened it with some flour so if you want it more soupy omit the flour. The flavor and textures are amazing! And it turned into a stick to your ribs kind of soup.

Recipe from me.
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
Soup
1 cup onion, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1 cup celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 potatoes, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup stars pasta
Direcitons
Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix ground chicken, pepper, salt, bread crumbs and egg.  Mix thoroughly and form into mini balls, about 1 teaspoon of meat. Place on sprayed broiler rack. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the flour, oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning until blended; saute 1 minute longer. Gradually add broth, potatoes and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the chicken meatballs and star pasta; simmer for 7 minutes or until pasta is tender. Reduce heat.

Bacon, Chicken & Dumplings

My head was not in the game today. For starters I must have set my phone's alarm wrong because it didn't go off. New phones are such a love/hate situation. Thank goodness the girls didn't have school today. Then I made my first cup of coffee and went to let the dog out. When I returned I had a cup of hot water. *hmm* I used coffee grounds for my next cup. Much better. When the kiddos finally did wake up we did the grocery shopping. Which for some reason was $50 less than normal. We may or may not be eating later this week even though I checked the list twice. This afternoon I wanted to start the popcorn strings so I popped the popcorn. Oh, I'm sorry I mean I burned the popcorn kernels. Threw them away and started another batch. Burned them too. Gave up on that task for the day. Finally while making dinner I just couldn't follow directions. *lol* I have had enough already and shall retire to the living with a hot chocolate (and peppermint snchapps) and call it a day.

Recipe from allrecipes.com.
Ingredients
3 slices bacon
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
3 cups half and half
1-1/2 cups biscuit mix
1 cup milk
Directions
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside; reserve bacon drippings in skillet. Add potatoes, onion and chicken to bacon drippings and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in chicken broth; season with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir in corn, and simmer all together for 15 minutes. Pour in half-and-half and bring to a boil; add crumbled bacon. In a medium bowl, combine biscuit mix with milk and mix well (dough should be thick). Drop tablespoon sizes of dough into boiling mixture; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered, then another 10 minutes covered. (Note: Do not stir while simmering, or dumplings will break apart). Serve hot.

Cinnamon Chicken

This week's menu was so messed up. Here it is Saturday and we are finally having Tuesday night's dinner. Christopher took me out to eat on Tuesday for my birthday and we ate so much I wasn't able to even think of cooking. I wasn't sure how my family would react to cinnamon chicken, especially Abby. It wasn't a hit but wasn't a miss either so I'll be making it again. I love meals that you throw together the night before. It was the perfect replacement for the turkey that was already gone I just reheated up our Thanksgiving sides.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Taste of Autumn.
Ingredients
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 whole chickens, cut up
Directions
Blend together broth, cinnamon, honey,lemon juice, curry powder and garlic salt. Arrange chicken pieces in a large ungreased roasting pan; pour mixture over chicken. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake at 375 F for one hour or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.

Autumn Apple-Cheddar Chicken

I am going to share a "Mommy secret" in how you can easily avoid your kiddos all Saturday morning long.

• Step 1 ... While waiting for kiddos to wake up, Facebook your plans to have them help you with yard work.
• Step 2 ... Get tired of waiting for kiddos to wake up and leave a note that you are outside doing yard work.
• Step 3 ... Oh wait! There is no step 3 because you'll never see your kiddos till you come back inside four hours later.

I now see the error of my ways as my kiddos get online and check Facebook before coming downstairs. Facebook is evil. *lol* BUT my yard looks beautiful and leaf free. I did nothing else for the rest of the day until it was time to start dinner. About dinner. I give up cooking with apples. Christopher said "We just want normal food for dinner". *sigh* I thought it was a good recipe but my family did not. I think they are plotting to run me out of the kitchen.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Homemade Harvest.
Download "Autumn Apple-Cheddar Chicken"
Ingredients
5 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sleeves round buttery crackers, crushed
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
10-3/4 oz can Cheddar cheese soup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 Golden Delicious apples, cored and sliced
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Place chicken in a large pot of boiling water. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes; set aside. Combine crumbs with 1/2 cup butter; mix thoroughly. Add remaining butter to a saucepan; stir in flour and cook about one minute, stirring often. Add milk, soup and cheese; stir to blend until cheese is melted. Place chicken in a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Cover chicken with cheese sauce, top with sliced apples and sprinkle with cracker mixture. Bake, covered for 35 to 40 minutes.

Honey Mustard Chicken & Apples

My fingers can barely type they are that cold. We are in the middle of getting a new furnace and will have no heat or hot water for tonight. I've been complaining whining ever since the furnace man left. I just hate being cold and doing the dinner dishes in cold water doesn't help. Then one of my FB friends suggested I heat the water on the stove. *omg* Why didn't I think of that? Big duh! on my part.
I've been on the look out for a good chicken and apple recipe. If you have one please share. A friend of mine suggested this one. I liked it but it's not quite what I was looking for. My family didn't care for the honey mustard part. I guess that means I won't be making it again. It really was yummy.

Recipe from at Food Network.
Ingredients
4 boneless chicken
salt and pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
2 cooking apples, cut into chunks
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 to 3 tbsp mustard
1-1/2 tsp butter, softened
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 to 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 ⁰F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
Add the onion and apples to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Mix the broth with the mustard, then add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix the butter and flour to form a paste. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken, apples and onion to plates. Bring the pan juices to a simmer, whisk in about half of the butter-flour mixture and boil to thicken, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, adding more of the butter-flour mixture as needed to make a slightly thick gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Marry Me Chicken

It just amazes me sometimes how little I can do in a day. I had a long to do list this morning but with the kiddos having off of school I seemed to have gotten very little done. Haillie and I did the grocery shopping, enjoyed a cup of tea, lazed around, made a quick trip to the craft store and then I lazed some more. Ridiculous. I did not mow the grass nor did I do any laundry. No pumpkins were frozen and nothing delicious was baked in the oven. Even Abby was more productive than me. She worked on homework and cleaned her room. I did however manage to make dinner.
Christopher is away till Wednesday, we have no leftovers and I needed dinner to be child friendly. This recipe was shared on my favorite military spouse message board. Amazing group of women. It has become a family favorite and my go to recipe if I'm cooking only for the kiddos. It's so rare that the girls both like the same meal.

Recipe found at The Silent Warriors.
Ingredients
1 package boneless skinless chicken breast
Ranch dressing
1 tbsp flour
shredded cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Pour enough Ranch dressing in a bowl to cover the chicken. Add flour and mix well. Dip chicken into mixture to coat and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until golden brown.

Parmesan Encrusted Chicken

I think it's safe to say everyone liked the Parmesan coating but the chicken was very odd. Nothing to due with the recipe. Due to some pain in the butt car drama I wasn't able to make my routine grocery trip this morning. I stopped by a grocery store near the garage to grab the items I need for dinner. I'm a Purdue kind of gal and they had none so I bought the store brand. It was the worst boneless chicken breast I had in a while. The texture was strange, I'm not even sure how to explain it. None of us finished it. *ick*

Recipe found somewhere out there.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
5 tbsp or more of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Directions
Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and minced garlic. Ensure pan is very hot when you place chicken. Season one side of chicken breast with: garlic powder, onion powder, basil and Italian seasoning. Then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese to cover the tops of the chicken. Place each chicken breast carefully (cheese side down) into the hot pan. As the chicken begins to cook, season the top (bare) sides with garlic powder, onion powder, basil, Italian seasoning and top with a coating of Parmesan cheese. Do not flip chicken for 5-7 minutes or until you have a deep golden brown crust on the bottom. After flipping, cook another 5-7 minutes and cut to ensure chicken is done.

Chicken Spaghetti

I first heard about this recipe on Paula's blog "Queen of My Castle". She made chicken spaghetti sound delish and I knew I had to try it. It's original from "Pioneer Women" and I've posted her original recipe. I did end up making some changes for ours. I roasted my chicken, omitted the pimentos, used one can of cream of mushroom soup and one can of cream of chicken soup. Then since I'm not a fan of green peppers I used a finely chopped yellow pepper. The color also blended in better so the kiddos didn't see it. Flavor was out of this world! And the leftovers were just as good.

Recipe found at The Pioneer Women.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked chicken
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 jar (4 oz) diced pimentos, drained
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup additional grated sharp cheddar cheese
Directions
Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Reserve one cup of broth. Cook spaghetti in remaining chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients including the one cup of reserved broth, except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 ⁰F for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Chicken Sheppard’s Pie

Oy, the leftovers I had from last night's feast. Christopher didn't make it home in time for dinner and opted to skip my nutritious meal and go straight to the apple pie topped with ice cream. I was so jealous.
The recipe I used seems bland but my chicken was flavorful from the bacon and spices I used. The smashed potatoes had garlic and sour cream in them. The gravy was made from chicken and bacon drippings making this mixture very scrumptious. Sadly though my finicky little germ monsters didn't clear their plates. Those ingrates, after all the hard work I didn't put into dinner.

Recipe found in my fridge.
Ingredients
Leftover chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy
1 can (10 oz) corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded cheese
Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 ⁰F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
In a medium saucepan reheat gravy and add chicken, corn and peas. Pour into greased baking dish. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes.