Chicken Breasts with Mustard Sauce

Piquant seasonings and a quick preparation give the humble chicken breast a special appeal - grand enough for a dinner for special company!

Ingredients Needed: (4 servings)

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil plus a dash of cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 3 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• salt & pepper, to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

How to Make It:

• Wipe chicken dry; set aside.
• In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add oil, cayenne and garlic.
• Add chicken breasts. Cook, turning often, until cooked through.
• Transfer to warm platter; keep warm.
• Add mustard to skillet. Stir until blended and brownings are scraped up.
• Add cream. Boil over high heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Taste. Add salt and pepper.
• Pour sauce over chicken breasts. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Good served with: Steamed fresh vegetables, buttered pasta, mixed green salad, crusty bread ... and for a special occasion, serve with a nice white wine. Serve a fresh fruit compote for dessert with butter cookies or pieces of pound cake!

Meatballs in Tomato Stroganoff

A combination of beef, veal and pork delicately seasoned and simmered in a rich sauce is excellent served over hot cooked noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

Ingredients Needed: (4 servings)

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/4 lb ground pork
• 1/4 lb ground veal
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Flour
• 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 can (10 oz) beef broth
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dill weed

How to Make It:

• Mix beef, pork and veal until well blended. Add garlic, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, salt, thyme and pepper. Blend well.
• Shape into 2-inch meatballs (or smaller if you prefer). Roll in the flour.
• Heat oil in skillet and brown meatballs well on all sides. Add onion to pan and continue browning meat and onion for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring and moving the meatballs constantly.
• Add beef broth and tomato paste to pan. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the sour cream and dill weed. Stir until sauce is evenly blended and smooth.
• Serve immediately, or cover, refrigerate and serve later, reheated.

Good served with:  boiled egg noodles, steamed broccoli, sliced tomato salad with herbed vinaigrette ... and apple pie for dessert!

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Full of flavor and deliciously yummy that warms your tummy!!

Ingredients Needed: (6 servings)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, cut into 1-inch chunks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Wicked Good Blends "Tuscan Bistro" spice blend
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

How to Make It:

• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the pot and cook until golden, about 3 minutes; set aside.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to pot. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and Tuscan Bistro spice blend until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in chicken stock bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil.
• Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately.

 Recipe adapted from damndelicious

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PHOTOS????

Hello to anyone out there who has found this Blog and cannot view any of the photos I have posted since I began this Blog.

I don't know what happened!! I logged onto my page and none of my photos were there!!

Hopefully, you all can still see all the photos of all the great recipes I have posted. Maybe it's just me who can't see them for some reason.

If you cannot see the photos, I truly apologize. I wish I could re-upload them but, sadly, it would take way too much time ... and ... I have deleted most of them from my PC or camera.

Sorry if you can't see any of the awesome recipe photos that I put on this Blog.

-My Favorite Recipes

Mamma Bracco's Genovese Stew/Sauce

This recipe was handed down to me by my dear mother, who passed away at the age of 84 in January of 2013. Mamma Bracco was an AMAZING cook. Being from northern Italy, I grew up eating sauces that were more "brown" instead of red. My mom never made lasagna or manicotti or stuffed shells, but what she did make was unique and delicious. She was given this recipe by a relative while living in Genoa, Italy (as a young woman in her 20's). Our family always looked forward to nights when mom made her "sugo" (which actually translates to "gravy" in Italian). The entire neighborhood would enjoy the wonderful aroma that came from mom's kitchen when she made her "sugo" and we would all walk away from the dinner table with very FULL, HAPPY bellies!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 Tbsp good olive oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 lbs good stew meat
• 2 golden delicious apples; peeled & cut into small cubes
• 2 carrots; finely chopped
• 2 medium onions; finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic; finely chopped
• 1 medium sprig of fresh Rosemary, basil, oregano and about a Tbsp of whole cloves; all secured in a cheesecloth
• 1 beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup Sherry cooking wine
• 2 15-ounce can Del Monte Tomato Sauce, plus 1 15-ounce can's worth of water
• ground cinnamon and ground allspice; just a dash of each
• freshly-ground nutmeg; just a dash
• 1 tsp Wicked Good Blends "Tuscan Bistro" spice blend*
• 4 medium potatoes; peeled, washed and halved
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 lb box Pasta; cooked according to package directions for al dente
• Freshly-grated Parmigiano cheese; if desired

How to Make It:

• Finely chop carrots, onion and garlic in a food processor.
• Add oil, butter, cubed apples, carrots, onion, garlic, beef bouillon and herbs in cheesecloth into a large pot or dutch oven.
• Dry each piece of stew meat with a paper towel and add to pot.
• Turn on heat and cook for about an hour, partially covered, over medium heat, stirring about every 15 to 20 minutes.
• Continue to cook another 15-20 minutes, uncovered, and stirring frequently.
• Add Sherry cooking wine and cook, partially covered, for another 20 minutes (or until wine has evaporated).
• Add 2 cans of Tomato Sauce and 1 can of water. Stir.
• Add cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and Tuscan Bistro spice blend. Stir.
• Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes.
• Add potatoes and continue to cook, LOW and SLOW, for another hour or two, stirring frequently.
• Add salt & pepper to taste.
• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Place cooked pasta in a pasta bowl and add a few spoonfuls of the "sugo", making sure you get some chunks of meat and potatoes in every spoonful.
• Sprinkle some freshly-grated Parmigiano cheese on top, if desired.

Note: the "sugo" should be thick, not runny. They key to this dish is that you cook it for a long time on very low heat and stir frequently. This will thicken the sauce and cook the stew meat so that it is tender and melts in your mouth! Make sure you stir GENTLY after you have added the potatoes. Once the potatoes begin to break up, they are done and the "sugo" is pretty much done, too.

* I recently had the pleasure of meeting the makers of Wicked Good Spice Blends. I decided to use about a teaspoon of their Tuscan Bistro spice blend in this recipe. It added a delicious and aromatic flavor to the "sugo". I will definitely always add Tuscan Bistro spice blend in this recipe from now on!!

"Panera" Broccoli Cheese Soup

This kid-pleasing, creamy broccoli cheese soup recipe is ready in no time and tastes exactly like the one you get at Panera! Just be SURE to follow the recipe EXACTLY! Any deviation from the recipe will result in different consistencies and overall flavor. Make sure you have some warm, crusty bread on hand, too!!

Ingredients Needed: (for 4 servings)

• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli
• 1 cup carrots, julienned or shredded
• 1/4 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
• 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (use the best brand you can find)
• salt & pepper to taste
• crusty bread

How to Make It:

• Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
• Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half. 
• Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in a blender but I don't. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.
• Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

Easy Potato Casserole

Tired of mashed potatoes or French fries? Try this quick and easy potato casserole as a side dish. Full of cheesy flavor and so easy to make! Your family won't believe you made it!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 lbs hash brown potatoes (I used the frozen variety and thawed them first)
• 1/2 lb of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper (as desired)

How to Make It:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients and mix well.
• Butter or spray a large casserole dish.
• Pour mixture into casserole dish, cover loosely with foil and bake for an hour.
• Uncover and bake until top is golden brown; about 20-25 minutes.

This dish reheats well either in the microwave or oven.

Recipe from Food.com