Revisiting a Classic: Creamed Chicken and Biscuits!!

Once again it is time to revisit a classic! Creamed chicken is definitely in that category. You may know it as Chicken A La King, or you may know this old school dish by another name. This one is a throw back to be sure! My mother made creamed chicken. I could never stomach it as a child. Thick white sauce with leftover chunks of cooked chicken and a can of Veg-All. Ick! To this day, I can't even walk past that canned veggie in the store without a cold shudder going down my spine. My mother is an excellent cook, but creamed chicken was not my favorite.

As an adult, I am revisiting all these old favorites that make everyone all warm and fuzzy and think of happy times when they were younger. While this dish was most likely created as a way to stretch the protein or use leftovers to full capacity, it is still something that many people enjoy. My girls basically called this inside out pot pie. It is true, this creamy, chicken-y treat does indeed taste like a pot pie without all the pastry rolling etc. 

This dish goes together quite quickly and, indeed, you can use leftover chicken or even rotisserie chicken shredded or cubed up to make this go even quicker. Either way it will be enjoyed by all. I started out mine with fresh chicken breasts cubed up that I cooked along with some aromatics of celery, onion and garlic, If you like other things, pop them in there. I thought that some cubed potatoes would have been a nice addition as well. When the chicken was nearly done, I removed it from the pan and built my roux out of flour and butter. Added the spices and the broth to make a creamy gravy. Added back the chicken and aromatics and added some cream. Half and half or even milk will do here. Whatever you keep on hand. I also added a small bag of frozen mixed veggies and a couple cans of drained mushrooms. If you like fresh use those and add them with the chicken and aromatics to cook. Let this simmer for a few minutes and voila'! creamed chicken!

The one thing I remember most about my mom's creamed chicken is that she, more than once served it ladled over toasted frozen waffles. The square kind. Usually they were a little crispy. That was always fun and if you have never tried it, kind of delicious. Because even if creamed chicken was not my favorite thing to have for supper, served over a waffle, it made my 8 year old self kind of happy. Today I am serving my creamed chicken over some homemade sour cream biscuits. You can serve this over whatever you like. Mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, toast, biscuits of any kind, even the pop and fresh variety, or, if you are so inclined, waffles. You could even go the extra mile and make some herb and butter savory waffles to serve this over! Now that would be amazing!

This recipe will serve 8 hungry people. We will eat this for two meals. I will refrigerate the leftovers and eat them within a week or 10 days. Freezing this is not recommended, as the mixture could break upon reheating and be unpleasant. 

I hope that you will revisit this classic creamed chicken and biscuits sometime soon and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

Noreen's Kitchen

 Classic Creamed Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 cups chicken stock 1 medium onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup mushrooms, sliced 4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour 1 cup heavy cream or half and half 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 cup frozen mixed veggies

Step by Step Instructions

Cut chicken into small cubes.

Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet.

Add chicken and cook until almost done all the way through.

Add celery, onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Remove chicken and veggies from the pan and set aside.

Add butter to the pan and melt completely. Whisk in butter to make a roux. 

Add onion powder, garlic powder and poultry seasoning.  Stir well.

Continue to stir for a few minutes until the mixture takes on a nutty aroma.

Add chicken stock to the roux, whisking the entire time.  Continue to stir until the mixture thickens to a light sauce.

Add chicken and vegetables back to the pan and stir well.  Simmer on low for five minutes.

Add heavy cream and frozen vegetables and stir well to combine.  Simmer for an additional five minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, toast, homemade biscuits or fresh cooked waffles!

Enjoy!

You can find a printable version of this recipe on my website here: http://bit.ly/2bIA77e

A Taste of the Islands Right In Your Own Back Yard! Sweet & Spicy Caribbean Style BBQ Sauce

I am getting ready to make some jerk chicken on the grill and wanted to make it extra special by giving it a baste with some delicious BBQ sauce. If you are like me, you prefer to make your own when you can and this sauce is over the top delicious!

I made it my goal to replicate or at least come close to a jerk dipping sauce that a local restaurant serves and they wouldn't give me their recipe. Lucky for me I don't need one! I figured it out myself! I can make this anytime I want and slather it on chicken, pork, burgers or use it as a great dipping sauce or even a base for a sweet and spicy salad dressing! 

This sauce uses my basic BBQ sauce as a starting place. What makes this Caribbean is the spice blend. It is also what takes this over the top amazing! Ketchup, molasses, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Habanero pepper sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove all come together to make a sauce that you will just want to eat off a spoon it is that delicious!

We made some Jamaican Jerk chicken thighs for another video that will be coming up this week as a collaboration with the Common Man Cocktails channel. You will see that soon. We marinated our chicken in a wet Jerk marinade and then grilled on a very hot charcoal grill. Then we slathered on this sauce and let it come to a shellacked perfection. They were delicious and amazing and I cannot wait for you to see how they came together. 

I knew I had to share this sauce with you though, because I know you would want to know. You really need to make this sauce! Since I made it, we have used it to dip chicken in, on pork chops, on fries and I even put it on a burger and it was amazing!

I hope you will give this sweet and spicy Caribbean style BBQ sauce a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

Noreen's Kitchen

Sweet & Spicy Caribbean Style

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup 1 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup lime juice 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground clove 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Combine ingredients in a saucepan.

Stir well to combine.

Allow to come to a simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

ENJOY!

Quick & Easy Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken! Special Enough For Company!

Sometimes thinking of something new and different to put on the table can be rough.  Add to that our hectic schedules and lives, with work, lessons, practice and this time of year, the end of school activities, we can sometimes find ourselves opting to just run to the drive through or call it in by taking out to put dinner on the table.  Today I want to share with you a delicious, quick and easy meal that can be made in less than half an hour that will have you closing your eyes and melting into the yumminess that is creamy lemon pepper chicken!

This really could not be easier.  I butterflied a few chicken breasts, meaning I cut them in half the flat way to make two thin cutlets.  This helps to stretch my protein as well as making the chicken thinner so it will cook more quickly.  Then I melted some olive oil and butter in my cast iron skillet, sprinkled the chicken on one side liberally with my homemade lemon pepper and herb seasoning and then set the cutlets seasoned side down in the skillet over medium heat.  Don't forget to season the other side when you get them cooking.  This just makes things a little easier.

Now, get your pasta or rice going and let those cutlets cook for a good four minutes before you flip them to cook the other side for the same amount of time.  Then go steam some veggies or make a quick green salad to serve along with.

When the chicken is done and the juices run clear when cut, take the cutlets out of the skillet and set them aside.  Add the onions and garlic to the pan and some mushrooms if you like.  I did not have any on hand this night but they would have been wonderful!  Toss to coat and then add  the lemon juice and chicken stock and scrape some of the brown bits or fond off the bottom of the pan.  Add some heavy cream and stir well.  Return the chicken to the skillet and nestle them all in there so they are coated and cozy.  Turn the heat down to medium and allow them to simmer 5 to 10 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. 

When the sauce is a bit thicker and coats the back of your spoon, turn off the heat and allow the chicken to rest in the sauce for five minutes before serving.  I always do this, no matter what I am cooking.  I just feel like getting the initial fire off of a dish makes it much more enjoyable to the palate.  When things are too hot, or conversely, too cold, they cannot be fully enjoyed by your taste buds.  Letting things rest gives you a much more enjoyable experience.

Time to serve!  Plate this up with angel hair or orzo pasta or long grain, wild or blended rice and a veggie or salad for a completely wonderful dinner that you can get on the table, even when you are super busy.    This is satisfying and delicious and I know your family is going to love this dish.

Add this to your list to try or even your regular weekly menu rotation.  It's always great to add something new or put a new spin on something that you already enjoy.  I hope you give this creamy lemon pepper chicken a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken

2 pounds chicken cutlets 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning 1 teaspoon salt

1 medium onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon 2 cups chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream

 Step by Step Instructions

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and lemon pepper seasoning on one side.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.

Place chicken cutlets, seasoned side down into the skillet.  Season the upturned side with salt and lemon pepper.  Cook chicken on first side for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until the juices of the chicken run clear.   Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion and garlic to the skillet, sauté' for just a minute and then add chicken stock and lemon juice.  Stir well to combine. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. 

Return chicken to the skillet and turn to coat.  Reduce heat to medium and bring to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened and coats the back of a spoon. 

Turn heat off and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestions would include angel hair pasta, wild or white rice or a blended rice, steamed veggies or a green salad.  We enjoyed this with baked spaghetti squash instead of a starch and green salad.

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 5 days.  This dish is not recommended for freezer banking due to the heavy cream.

Get a printable version of this recipe: http://bit.ly/1TdjPlO

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

Breakfast of Tropicals! Pineapple, Coconut Protein Smoothie Recipe!

This week for #Torani Friday I thought it would be fun to make a delicious breakfast smoothie chock full of good things that will make you happy and get you going for a good start to your day!

We love the pineapple coconut combination in our house!  Everything from smoothies and drinks to savory dishes and desserts.  Pineapple and coconut go together like Forest and Jenny or peas and carrots or peanut butter and jelly.  This tropical combination is also one of my favorites for a breakfast smoothie.  This one is not overly sweet and hits all the right notes!  With the addition of protein powder this one will take you from breakfast to lunch with no problem at all.

I have used a good handful of ice, you can use more or less if that is your preference, a generous half cup of fresh pineapple that I diced really small, some pineapple juice about 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes, 1/4 cup of organic whey protein, some coconut milk and Torani syrup in both coconut and pineapple.  I used about three pumps of each which ends up being just over a tablespoon of each flavor.

I used my Nutri Ninja drink mixer to whip up this smoothie but you could make this in any mixer or regular blender you have available.  I just tossed everything in and turned it on and let it run for about 30 seconds to make sure everything was smooth and creamy.

I garnished my smoothie with more flaked coconut and a little bit more sliced pineapple on the side of the glass for fun.  My recipe made enough for Rick and I to enjoy a smoothie for breakfast and we certainly did enjoy them!  

Because this is really an "idea" for a smoothie, the ingredient amounts can be adjusted to suit your taste and preference.  This smoothie was indeed, very smooth and not icy or frosty or thick.  If you like yours that way, add lots more ice.  You can even add coconut yogurt to make this thicker, tangy-er and boost the protein levels even more!  Like it sweeter?  Add more syrup.  You get the idea.  Make this your own.  But make it nonetheless.

Some of you may be saying "I can't believe she made a breakfast smoothie with that sugary syrup".  Well, you can believe it.  The way I see it is that Torani is made with pure cane sugar.  This is a simple sugar that is pure.  I have no problem adding a bit of this to my smoothie to make it even more delicious and boost the natural flavors that I have put in there to begin with.  You have to make the best decision for you and if you wanted to leave out the sweetener all together or sub out some honey or some agave, then go right ahead.  Your choice!

I hope you give this protein boosted pineapple coconut breakfast smoothie a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Sipping!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

You can find Torani on their website here:

http://bit.ly/ToraniHome

You can get Bob's Red Mill Whey Protein here:

http://amzn.to/1NtoEFg

You can get Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes Here:

http://amzn.to/1NtoEoR

This is the drink mixer I am using, the Nutri Ninja Blender:

http://amzn.to/225ePjt

Business Inquiries can be sent to:

info@noreenskitchen.com

Homemade Sloppy Joes, An All American Favorite!

Sloppy Joe's are an American favorite and in our house that is no exception.  Hands down this is probably one of Rick's all time favorite dinners.  He goes to great lengths to get this for dinner on a regular basis.  It is usually his go to birthday meal.  

Many of us grew up with a popular canned version of the sloppy Joe sauce and my mom made that a few times, but then she started making it from scratch and I have to tell you.  If you are going to eat a sloppy Joe (incidentally not one of my all time faves), this is the one you want to eat!  My mom makes hers a bit different, but mine is the one Rick and the girls love.  Full of ground beef goodness, onions, bell pepper, celery and mushrooms.  Yes, I put mushrooms in mine, but you can leave them out if they are not your jam.    Then I build a sauce from condiments you already have!  Ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire and then I toss in a small can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, otherwise known as Ro-Tel, for good measure.  Don't forget some spices to round everything out!  Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika will give this the over the top flavor you will fall in love with.

This get simmered over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes and then load into some warm hamburger buns and you are off to the races!  Leftovers are even better because these flavors just meld and marry into an amazing taste sensation.  I have even seen Rick eat this warmed up with just a spoon like a bowl of chili!  Yes, it's that good!

Leftovers are easily saved in the fridge in an airtight container.  These should be eaten inside of a week.  If you want to make a big batch you can portion this out in containers and freeze for easy meals later on.  This will keep frozen for up to three months, so bulk cooking this is an excellent idea. To reheat, you can thaw on the counter during the day or in the fridge overnight or you can do what I like to do and place the frozen sloppy Joe "brick" in the slow cooker on low and let it simmer during the day and you are good to go for dinner, just add buns and a salad an voila!  Dinner is served!

The history of the Sloppy joe is a bit murky but there are several theories of how it came to be.  In the 1920's the loose meat sandwich was created in a small Iowa restaurant by a man named Floyd Angell this was nothing more than cooked ground beef in a loose sauce with spices served on white, sliced bread.   In the 1930's and throughout, the addition of ketchup and other seasonings and vegetables is seen in many recipes.  During World War 2, rationing was in place.  Meat was a scarcity, so the Sloppy Joe was on many a table since it could be made with little meat and stretched with vegetables and even potatoes or rice to make sure everyone had enough.

The most likely source of the Sloppy Joe, however comes from a little place in the Florida Keys, incidentally called "Sloppy Joe's".  The name spread far and wide during the depression.  There were many restaurants with this name.  There is also a line of thinking that the name simply stems from the fact that a hobo like man named Joe, was seen eating this sandwich and the name of the dish stuck.  Like many an American tradition, we may never no the true origin of this delicious and flavorful family staple!

I hope that you will give these homemade Sloppy Joe's a try and I hope you love them!  

Happy Eating!

Get the recipe here:

http://bit.ly/1pfdZSO

See how I made these Sloppy Joe's in a somewhat vintage YouTube video on my channel