Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

We used to buy these at the deli up on Broadway at least once a week. Sometimes it would be super delish and sometimes it was just alright. I had some leftover sauce from pasta I made a couple nights ago and decided to make chicken parm sandwiches. They turned out so well that now I can't even imagine gambling on the deli anymore. My husband and Coolidge just loved them. I think next time I might add parmesan cheese to the butter spread.

Try them and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

Basic Tomato Sauce
2 hoagie rolls
2 thin chicken cutlets
3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper

Directions

Cook chicken just like we did in Chicken Parmesan and set aside.

In a small bowl add 3 tbs butter, minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Mix it together and spread it on the hoagie rolls. Place them under the broiler until lightly toasted.

Add chicken to the bottom side and place shredded mozzarella on the chicken and place back under the broiler until cheese has melted. Then add sauce to the top of the chicken and then top side of bread and cut in half and serve.

Chicken Spaghetti

I am a huge fan of The Pioneer Woman's cooking show. I think what draws me there most is that she cooks for a busy family and I can relate. I first saw this recipe on her blog and they way it is described on there I didn't find it appealing. Then I watched her make it on the Foodnetwork and my mouth started to water so I thought I have to give that a try. I went to her blog to get the recipe and realized it wasn't the same. I went to the Food Network and it was different so I printed it instead and made it for my family. 

My kids are not fans of cheesy pasta so I took this recipe and put it in two small 9X9 pans instead of one 9x13 pan. One I put in the freezer and the other me and my husband devoured. Luckily there was some left over for another night because it was big hit. I also loved that I could take the other half out of the freezer on a day I just didn't feel like cooking. 

I wish my kids were like Ree's but they are just not willing to eat everything I make. So when they wont eat cheesy pasta I make them plain pasta with a little butter. I also changed the recipe slightly so if you want it exactly like hers click her name above and it will take you there. 

Ingredients

2 heaping cups cooked chicken

3/4 pound spaghetti cut into 2 inch pieces

1 can cream mushroom soup

2 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 of a large onion finely chopped

1 cup low sodium chicken broth plus more if needed

1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

salt and pepper



Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti for 9 minutes. Do not overcook, if anything slightly under cook it. When the spaghetti is cooked, combine with the chicken, mushroom soup, 1 1/2 cups cheese, the green peppers, red peppers, onions, seasoned salt, cayenne, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup chicken broth, adding an additional cup if needed. You don't want it too dry.

Place the mixture in a casserole pan and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover and freeze up to 6 months, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or bake immediately until bubbly, about 45 minutes. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Ready to freeze

Mom's German Chocolate Cake

I can't believe I started this blog one year ago. It is amazing a year has already gone by. I was posting my dishes on facebook and a friend of mine said you should start a blog. It made sense because I was getting many requests for recipes and this way I didn't have to send them out individually and you could go back as many times as you wanted. Now it has been a year and my first recipe was Fettuccine Alfredo.

The best part of starting this blog is how many new food blogs I have discovered in the process. I found so many amazing recipes from other bloggers and I also discovered pinterest along the way.

Today I am posting my mom's German chocolate cake because it is very special to me. My mom has been making it since I was a kid and she only makes it once a year if we are lucky. It does take a lot of work but after you take one bite you know it was worth every minute. This cake is super moist and full of flavor. I also love this cake because one year she made it and I was the one who taught her how to fold in the egg whites. My mother has been teaching me how to cook my whole life and it is nice to be the one teaching her a thing or two. Don't be intimidated by all the steps in this cake because it goes a lot faster than you think and it is all worth it when your guests are oooooing and awwwwing while they eat it.

Ingredients for the cake
1 (4 ounce) package of Bakers sweet German chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup Butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Grease three 9inch pans and then flour. Then line the pans with wax paper to help remove cakes easily.

Break chocolate into pieces and pour 1/2 cup of boiling water and stir until melted then cool.

Beat butter and sugar and then beat in 4 egg yolks.

Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate.

Mix flour, soda and salt in a large bowl and the beat  in chocolate mixture alternating with butter milk.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold this into the Batter and Pour into three pans equally.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool at 15 minutes but make sure cake is cooled completely. Don't remove until you are ready to assemble. (You can make these cakes the night before and let them stay in pan until you are ready to assemble the next day.)

Ingredients for Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 (12 ounce)  or 1 1/2 cups can of evaporated milk
4 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans chopped
2 cups coconut flakes sweetened.

Directions

In a sauce pan add evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in nuts and coconut. Cool until thick enough to spread. should make about 4 1/2 cups frosting.

Spread coconut frosting on each layer of cake.

Ingredients for Chocolate frosting

4 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons Hershey's cocoa
4 tablespoon water
2 cups confectioner sugar

In a small sauce pan melt butter over low heat. Add cocoa and water and stir until mixture thickens. Do not boil. Add confectioner sugar beating with whisk until smooth.

Spread chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake. You don't have to add this but me and my mom love the chocolate frosting. It just adds that extra touch.

Blackberry Cobbler

I Turned on the food network about a year ago and saw my very first episode of The Pioneer Woman. She made this Blackberry Cobbler. I am usually not a big fan of cobbler I tend to like a crisp more but this was a recipe I couldn't get out of my mind. I waited until blackberry season to give it a try and made it over the summer TWICE.

It was so easy and so good that I had to make it more than once and I had to share it with all of you. I had never used self rising flour so it was the one thing I had to run to the store to get and was worried I wouldn't be able to find it in a regular grocery store but they had plenty. Most of us do not have fresh blackberries right now but you can make it with frozen also. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

1/2 stick of butter

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup whole milk

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

whipped cream and or ice cream for serving

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3 quart baking dish with butter.

In a medium bowl , whisk 1 cup sugar with the flour milk. Whisk in the melted butter.

Rinse the blackberries and pat them dry. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the blackberries. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. When 10 minutes of the cooking time remains, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Mom's Lasagna

Right out of the oven

My mom has been making this Lasagna for as long as I can remember. She makes her own meat sauce and doesn't skimp on the cheese. It is usually an all day event but easy to feed a large crowd. I only get it once a year and because it is so fantastic nobodies lasagna even compares. If you have ever had my mom's lasagna then you probably have asked for the recipe. She is now known for it and you know you are special if she is making it the day your are over. I think it is so good because she puts so much love and attention into it. However if you don't like cheese this is not the recipe for you. You can not be lactose intolerant for this dish. If you do try it let me know what you think.

Ready to bake

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef

salt and pepper

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoon parsley

3 cans tomato sauce

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 box Barilla lasagna noodles

3 packages of mozzarella sliced

1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

To make the sauce add ground beef to a large stock pot and brown on medium heat. Break it up into small pieces (the trick to this sauce to make sure the pieces are very small) and add salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon basil, oregano, and parsley. Once meat is pretty much done add chopped onion and garlic minced. Cook 2 minutes and then add three cans tomato sauce, 1 can stewed tomato cut into smaller pieces. (I use scissors and cut them up right in the can).

Add another teaspoon of basil, oregano, and parsley and 1 tablespoon sugar. Add water and simmer for all day or around 4 hours. Don't let it boil the sauce needs to cook low and slow. (You can make the sauce the night before if you want.) Once your sauce is ready you can build your lasagna.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cheese mixture in a medium bowl. Add sour cream, cottage cheese, ricotta and egg. Using a whisk mix together well.

Using a 9x13 pan take 3 scoops of sauce to cover the bottom of the pan so noodles don't stick.

1st layer add noodle and make sure bottom is covered. Using a spoon add cheese mixture to cover the noodle. Add sliced mozzarella over the cheese mixture. Add sauce over the mozzarella and then sprinkle parmesan over the top of the sauce.

Repeat this 2 more times. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Check out those layers

Blackberry Muffins

I can't say enough good things about my muffin cookbook by Williams Sonoma. I think I have made about 4 different muffins in that cookbook and they have all turned out to be delish. I had been waiting for the summer to try the blackberry muffin. I used fresh blackberries but you can use frozen. 

I made these for my family this summer. As I've said over and over having fresh blackberries outside our house for the month of August was fabulous. These muffins had a nice crispy crunch topping and were liked by all ages. Nothing like waking up to fresh muffins and coffee with my cousins, aunt, uncle, mother and kids. Try them and let me know what you think.



Ingredients

For the topping

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

For the muffins

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg beaten

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blackberries or 2 1/2 cups frozen

unsweetened blackberries unthawed

Directions

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 12 standard muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray.

To make the topping stir together the sugar, flour, and zest in a small bowl. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the pecans and stir to combine. Set aside.

To make muffins, in a bowl, stir together in the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, zest, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter, and buttermilk. stir just until evenly moistened. the batter will be slightly lumpy. Sprinkle with the blackberries and gently fold in with a large rubber spatula just until evenly distributed, no more that a few strokes. Take care not to break up the fruit. Do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it to a bit above the rim of the cup. Top each muffin with the topping, dividing it evenly (the sugar will melt and produce a glaze effect).

Bake until golden, dry, and springy to the touch, 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve them warm or at room temperature, with butter.

8 layer dip

I found this recipe in the Everyday food magazine a few years ago. I love layer dips but when ever I buy them at a store I find the flavors blend so much and it becomes very watery. This one looked very good and easy to make so I decided to try it out at a BBQ that we had at my mom's house. It was a huge hit and my mother asks me to make it every year now. It would be great for a game day. I promise you that you it will be the first thing to go and your guests will be asking you to make it again.

Ingredients

1 16 ounce can of refried beans

2 tsp fresh lime juice

salt and pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 4.5 ounce can of green chiles

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 avocado diced

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 scallions

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine beans, lime juice, 2 tablespoons of water and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with sour cream, cheese, chiles, tomato, avocado, lettuce, and scallions. Serve with tortilla chips.