Balsamic Vinegar Chicken

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Balsamic Vinegar

Thyme

Blackberry or Raspberry Jam

Chicken

Get a oven safe dish and place however many pieces of chicken you need. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the chicken and into the dish. Cover the bottom of the pan with the vinegar. Sprinkle thyme over each piece of chicken. Then, take a tbsp. of your jam of choice and put it on each piece of chicken.

Cover pan with tin foil and cook on 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

For sides i recommend salad and my red potato mash potatoes. The vinegar mix makes a great dressing.

* your chicken will look different from the picture depending on what jam you use if you choose to use some

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Prep time: 20 min.

Total Time: 40 min.

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 (15.8 oz) pkg. pullsbury fudge supreme double chocolate premium brownie mix

2 tbsp. coffee- flavored liqueur or strong brewed coffee

12 fresh strawberries or 1 pint fresh raspberries

12 fresh mint sprigs *only needed for added presentation effect

1 quart vanilla ice cream

Directions

Heat over to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 nonstick muffin cups. In medium microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds or until melted, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth. Cook 5 minutes.

In large bowl, combine eggs and egg yolks; beat with electric mixer at high speed for 4 to 6 minutes or until foamy and double in size. reserve chocoalte syrup packet from brownie mix. Gradually add brownie mix to egg miture, beating until well blended. Fold in metled chocolate chip mixture and liqueur or coffee. Divide batter evenly into greased miffin cups ( cups will be full)

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Centers will be soft. Cool 2 minutes. While cakes are cooling, drizzle chocolate syrup from packet onto each individual serving plate. Run knife around edge of each cake to loosen. Invert warm cake over chocolate on each plate .Garnish each serving with strawberry and mint sprig. Serve with ice cream.

Classic Chicken Pot pie

Prep time:25 minutes

Total time: 1 hr. 5 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

1 box pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts. softened as directed on box

Filling

1/3 cup of margarine *i used margarine

1/2 cup chopped onion * i used onion powder
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 3/4 cups progresso chicken borth from 32 oz. carton

1/3 cup milk

2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey

2 cups of frozen veggies* i did 1 cup of corn and 1 cup of peas

Directions

Heat over to 425 degrees F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for two-crust using a 9 inch pie pan.
In 2 qt. saucepain, let butter over med. heat. Add onion, cook 2 minutes. Stirring freqenttly, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended.* make sure you have this stuff pre measured because if you dont it will burn

Stir in chicken and mixed veggies. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is gold brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Looking for a little something to add to your pot pie try added small cut up potatoes or have a side of corn muffins.

Blueberry-White Biscotti

Prep time:30-35 minutes
Bake time: 43 minutes
Makes 2 dozen cookies


Ingredients
1 can( 3 1/2 oz. ) blueberries
1 package (18 1/4 oz) blueberry muffin mix *some mixes come with can of blueberries but i would use a separate can
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 package (12 oz.) white chocolate chips


Directions:
Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Drain the blueberries and set aside. Combine the Muffin mix, flour, butter, and eggs just until blended in a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the white chocolate chips and the drained blueberries. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough in half. With floured hands, shape the down into two 12 -inch logs ( dough is very sticky). Place one log on each cookie sheet. Press the top of each log so it is about 2 inches wide. * i know this is crazy but i used a ruler to make sure they were correct it worked well


Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets between upper and lower over racks halfway through baking, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of each log comes out clean. Transfer the cookie sheets to wire racks and cook the logs for 1 hour. Transfer the logs to a large diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Place the slices, cut side down, on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for 6 to 8 minutes longer, or until light brown ( do not overbake). Transfer biscotti to racks to cool completely.


Place the remaining 1/2 cup chips in a small resealable plastic bag. Microwave on high for 20 seconds and knead the bag to mix. Microwave at addittional 10 second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cuta small hole in the corner of the bag. Squeeze the chocolate to drizzle over the biscotti. Let stand until the chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, or freeze up to 3 months.

Pesto Lasagna Roll-ups

This recipe is from one of my favorite books to cook from although their prep times are way off so i will adjust that.

Pesto Lasagna roll-ups

Prep time: 25-30 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes + standing

Ingredients
6 lasagna noodles- i used 8
1 container ( 15 oz.) whole milk ricotta cheese- i would use the 16.5 oz
1 cup homemade pesto sauce - i cheated and bought it
2 1/2 cups chucky pasta sauce- i used my mom's pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz.)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the noddles according to package directions. Drain and place on a kitchen towel in one layer

Combine the ricotta and 3 tablespoons of the pesto in a medium bowl. Spread each noodle with 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture, 1/4 cup of the pasta sauce, and 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Beginning at the short end, * ps. there is no short end of a lasagna roll so whatever side works* roll up each noodle. spread 1/3 cup of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 1 quart rectangular baking dish. Place the roll-ups, seam side down, in the baking dish. Spread the remaining pasta sauce and pesto over the roll-ups. * This part is semi difficult use a spatula and your hands to carefully move the roll from the cooling rack to the pan*

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.l Lt stand for 10 minutes for easier cutting.



Few addition tips
* try using a meat sauce to add some more flavor to the dish
* serve with a nice fresh loaf of Italian bread or garlic bread

Looking for an Italian dessert to compliment this Italian dish check out my blueberry biscotti dessert recipe and through in a nice warm cup of cappuccino

Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

I got this recipe from food network. It was a raid the pantry type idea which is exactly what i needed when my mom wants to make the same things she normally does and i want to try something new.

Molasses coffee marinated pork chops







Cook time: 10 minutes


Ingredients
1 cup of cool coffee- i brewed a cup and set it in the refrigerator while i mixed everything else
6 oz. of molasses ( by weight)
2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. of dijon mustard
2 cloves of garlic minced or garlic powder
1 tsp. of kosher salt or table salt whatever you have on hand- i use table salt
1/2 tsp. of ground ginger
6-8 sprigs of thyme or ground thyme
1/2 tsp. of ground pepper
4(6-8 oz) pork chops bone in or boneless about 1 in. think


Directions
Place all your ingredient in a 1 gallon zip lock bag. I added all the ingredients except the coffee. Once you have combined everything else then add in your cooled coffee. Seal and shake the bag and then place your marianted pork chops in the refrigerator. Mariante anywhere from 2 hours up to 24 hours. I have tried doing it for 2 and 24 and it tasted much better after 24.

Preheat grill to medium-high
Remove the pork chops from the marinade. Transfer the marinade toa small saucepan and place over high heat. Birng to a boil,reduce heat to medium-high, and boil gently, stirring often, until reduced to about 1/2 cup liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the thyme stems after the glaze has reduced.( If you didn't use the stems dont worry about this step). Meanwhile, grill pork chops 3 to 4 minutes per side or unitl they reach an internal temp. of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork chops to rest 4 to 5 minute before serving with the glaze.


Looking for something to complement this?
Check out my red mashed potatoes and throw in some buttered broccoli or some salad

Easy prepared great meal!

Red Mash Potatoes

Red Mash Potatoes











Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl.

2. Combine potatoes with butter, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Mash together until smooth and creamy.