....is a Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya Date

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Cuisine

2 Bay Leaves

2 Tbsp Butter

1/2 Lb Chopped Andouille or Spicy Sausage, about 2 Cups

3/4 Lb Rotisserie Chicken, Cut Into Bite-Sized Pieces, about 2 Cups

1 Cup Chopped Onions, Divided

1 Cup Chopped Celery, Divided

1 Cup Chopped Green Bell Peppers, Divided

1 Tbsp Garlic, Minced

1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce

1 Can Dan Tomatoes

2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

2 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock

1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Rice (Preferably Converted)

How to Prepare

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat.  Add the Sausage and sauté, stirring frequently until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. 

Add the Chicken stirring frequently and scraping the pan bottom well, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the Seasoning mix, ½ cup each of the Onions, Celery, and Bell Peppers, and the Garlic.

Continue to cook the mixture, stirring almost constantly and scraping the pan bottom as needed, until the vegetables start to get tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Stir in the Tomato Sauce and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.  Stir in the remaining Onions, Celery, and Bell Peppers and the Tomatoes.

Add the Stock, Kitchen Bouquet and Rice.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until the Stock is absorbed and the Rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.

Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Time to eat!

CPB.

Mine.

....is Brown Sugar Shortbread

Ingredients

1 cup Butter, softened

1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Flour

Directions

In large mixer bowl, beat Butter and Sugar until creamy. Add Vanilla; then gradually beat in Flour, blending thoroughly.

Place dough in baking dish, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until firm to the touch (press very lightly to test). Let cool before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Tastes great with Pumpkin Butter!

....is Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients: 

3 1/2 cups Pumpkin Pureé, or 1 (29 ounce) Can (not pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling)

2 tsp Vanilla

3/4 cup Apple Juice

1 cup Brown Sugar

2-3 Cinnamon Sticks

1-2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 
(I used the spicing instructions on the can of Pumpkin plus 1/4 tsp of Allspice)

Directions: 

Combine Pureéd Pumpkin, Vanilla, Apple Juice, Spices, Cinnamon Sticks and Sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to your taste. 

....is a Enchilada Verde Date

Chicken and White Bean Filling:

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
15.5 oz can Navy beans (or Cannellini beans)
8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
1/3 can water
1 chicken bullion
1 tsp cumin
1 jar green chile salsa
3/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
8 medium tortillas
chopped fresh cilantro or scallions

Preheat oven to 375°.

For the Filling:

In a medium pan, heat olive oil on low. Add onions, garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes.

 Add green chiles, beans, water, bullion, and cumin. Mix well and cover. Simmer on low 15 minutes.

 Remove cover, add chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until it thickens and liquid boils down. Set aside.

Assembly:
Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce (green chile salsa) on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish (you dish will wor you'll prob justt do two layers. put a little sauce and a layer of cheese in between).

 

Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the chicken/white bean filling. Roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling remainder of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with cheese. 

Cover with aluminum and bake 20-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh cilantro or scallions.

CPB.

Mine.

....is a little Travel

Roasted Tomato & Avocado Benedict
Toulouse Petit, Queen Anne, Seattle, WA

Chocolate Croissant & a Dirty Chai Late

Cafe Besalu, Ballard, Seattle, WA

Caprese Benny
Snooze an AM Eatery, Denver, CO

Bloody Maria (Tequila instead of Vodka)
Snooze an AM Eatery, Denver, CO

Smoked Ham Benny
Snooze an AM Eatery, Denver, CO

Pancake Flight: Blue Berry with Lemon Curd, Blackberry with White Chocolate, & Sweet Potato

Snooze an AM Eatery, Denver, CO

Bison Sliders
Wynkoop Brewery, Denver, CO

Fried Chicken & Mac'n'Cheese

Steuban's Restaurant, Denver, CO

Chef's Choice Thin Crust & Pumpkin Ale
Pi Pizzeria, Delmar Loop, St. Louis, MO

Cheese & Nut Plate
Bridge, Downtown, St. Louis, MO

Blackened Cajun Sandwich

Bridge, Downtown, St. Louis, MO

 A Crisp Fall Day & a Picnic Basket
Companion Bakery, Clayton, St. Louis, MO

Shlafley Pale Ale
Shlafley Brewery, St. Louis, MO

Brunch Bloody Mary Bar
The Scottish Arms, St. Louis, MO

Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche

The Scottish Arms, St. Louis, MO

....is a Bruccioloni Date

3 Large Round Steaks
1 Bottle Tomato Gravy (aka Pasta Sauce)
1/2 Cup Italian Cheese’s (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, etc.)
1/4 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs (maybe more or less, based on consistency)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
16 oz. Ricotta Cheese
Salt & Pepper
String, Kitchen Twine, or Toothpicks

Make a big pot of Tomato Gravy.

Make a stuffing of Italian Cheese’s (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, etc.), Italian Bread Crumbs,
Olive Oil (about 2 tbsp.), and Ricotta Cheese (about 16 ounces or appropriate qty – see note).
Mix stuffing thoroughly.

Salt & Pepper the Steaks.

Spread stuffing on Meat and roll Steaks up, then secure with string (or kitchen twine) or
toothpicks.

Brown steaks in Olive Oil (brown on all sides).

When browned, add them to the Red Gravy and cook until the meat is tender.

Optional:
Add chopped Onions and Parsley to the stuffing.
If necessary, pound the steaks with a meat mallet before spreading the stuffing and rolling them
up.

Mine.

CPB.

....is a Chicken Pot Pie Date

3Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Onion, Diced

1 Sweet Potato/Yam, Diced into 1/4-1/2 in pieces

3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Cup Peas

2 Cups Chicken Broth

3/4 Cup Heavy Cream (or 1 Cup Milk)

1 Rotisserie Chicken (Dark Meat)

1 Box Puff Pastry Sheet

(Pepperidge Farms makes this, it comes with 2 in a box)

Saute´ Onion and Sweet Potato in Olive Oil for about 10 minutes or until Sweet Potatoes are soft and Onions translucent. Add Garlic half way thru. Add Peas at the end.

Add Chicken Broth and bring to a boil over Medium High Heat. 

Preheat oven to 400º

(Lesson Learned: When putting a lower crust bake it first, then fill, then bake again. This ended up being a pretty doughy crust.)

While heating disassemble your Chicken. Save the white meat for something else but take all the dark meat and shred it into bite size piece. Use your hands, get messy.

When at boil add Cream/Milk. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. 

Remove from heat, mix in Chicken, and pour everything into Baking Dish (No more than 3/4 full). 

[If there's extra we can freeze it.] 

Top with Puff Pastry. 

Make sure you get it around the edges, it's ok if it hangs off. Too big is better than too small (she said). 

Now stab it with a for about 10 times so the steam can release as it bakes. Bake for 15 to 20*. 

Since everything's cooked on the inside it's just a matter of the pastry being a lovely golden brown. 

*Place Dish on top of a Cookie Sheet in case anything bubbles over.

Mine

CPB