Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms

Printable Version

Ingredients:

FOR THE CREAMED SPINACH:
1 large bag of spinach leaves
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 C shredded parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T red onion, minced
2 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE SAUTEED MUSHROOMS:
8 ounce package of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 stick butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 C white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE CHICKEN:
4-5 boneless chicken breasts
8-10 slices Mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1 T garlic powder
1 T seasoned salt, like Lawry’s
1 T pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper on both sides of the chicken. Bake for 16 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the creamed spinach. Over medium-high heat, melt 2 T olive oil in a skillet. Add in the onions and saute 2-3 minutes. Add in the spinach and garlic. It will shrink ridiculously. When it’s cooked through, stir in the cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Continue cooking and stirring until the cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

3. For the mushrooms, melt butter and 2 T olive oil in a skillet. Put the mushrooms in and cook until browned all over. Don’t season with salt until they are browned or they will never brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add in the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until most of the wine is cooked out.

4. Flip the chicken pieces over. Divide the spinach and mushrooms over the top of each breast. Lay two slices of cheese over each piece of chicken. Cook another 12-14 minutes or until cheese is browned and chicken is done.

I found this recipe of Pinterest and it is a winner.  We loved this and I made enough to have it again next week.  It made enough mushroom and spinach topping for 6 chicken breasts.

Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms

Grilled Pork Chops with mustard sauce

These are some grilled pork chops that Jud made this week.  I did the sauce and the sides which include twice baked potatoes and corn and bean salad.  I have give the recipe for the bean salad, and it is one of my favorites. Black Bean and Corn Salsa








Ingredients for the Sauce:
3/4 cup brown mustard
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1Tablespoon apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and toward the end of the grilling of the pork chops baste with this sauce.  The more the better.  You might have some left to put on the table so people can add more to their pork chop.

Jud marinated the pork chops overnight in Italian Dressing.  Just buy the cheap stuff. Then grill the pork chops about 5 min. on each side on a very hot grill.

Oreo Chocolate Cake



I found this recipe on Pinterest. oreo cake

Printable Version

Ingredients:
1 package (2 layer) devil's food cake mix
4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 package (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping
12  Oreo Cookies, coarsely crushed
Method:
Heatoven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare cake batter and bake according to directions. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.
Microwave chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl  until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in Cool Whip and crushed cookies.
Place one cake layer on plate, spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top with chocolate glace; let stand 10 minutes or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Note from Sherry:  I would 1/2 the filling next time. or ice the top with the filling and top that with the chocolate.

Chicken Mozzarella

This recipe comes from Fine Fighter Fare  which is a collection of Recipes by IFF Moody AFB in Valdosta, GA.  It was certainly a dish that I will make again.  It was really Chicken Parmesan with Mozzarella cheese on top. Instead of the tomato sauce, garlic powder, basil and butter, I used some marinara sauce out of a can.




Printable Version
Ingredients:

3 whole chicken breasts, halved and boned
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup oil
2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. mozzarella
Pound chicken into 1/4 inch thickness. Beat eggs slightly. Dip chicken in eggs and roll in bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil just until browned. Drain and place in a shallow pan. Heat tomato sauce, garlic powder and basil until boiling; add butter and simmer 10 minutes. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and bake 350' for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and top with mozzarella cheese and bake 10 minutes longer.


Honey, Mustard and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

This came from Fine Fighter Fare Cookbook and is a collection of recipes by IFF Moody AFB in Valdosta, GA. I cooked my pork tenderloin in a cooking bag because I had it.  It made clean-up a snap and I always love that.





Printable Version

Ingredients:
3/4 cup beer (I used coke)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
6 T. Honey (I used real maple syrup)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
2 lb. boneless pork tenderloin
1/2 cup whipping cream

Whisk the beer, mustard, honey, olive oil, rosemary, and garlic in a glass baking dish. Add pork and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. Transfer pork to rack set in roasting pan; reserve marinade. Roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 150' or higher. Then let the pork stand for 15 minutes. Strain the marinade into a heavy saucepan. Use a strainer with the small wire holes so the garlic and rosemary don't get through.  Add the cream and boil until it is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Approximately 15 minutes. Slice pork; arrange on platter. Serve the sauce separately so that it can be passed and drizzled over the pork.

Melt-in-your-Mouth Salmon Fillets with Convection Oven

I finally got to use my convection oven.  If you have a
conventional oven, just check it after 10 min. at 450
 degrees.  I have been trying to make salmon, because
I know it is good for us, for years, and this is the first
time that we actually liked my salmon.  I usually just
order it at a restaurant. Now I know I can do it. Yea!
I think one of the keys to the success is a very hot oven.
The other key is not to overcook it. The following is the
site where I found this recipe.  melt-in-your-mouth salmon


Printable Version

Ingredients:
5 salmon fillets (skin left on one side) ( I used Sockeye salmon)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or as needed)
2 teaspoons dried dill weed (or to taste)
2 teaspoons lemon pepper (or to taste)
seasoning salt (to taste)
lemon wedges
Directions:
1. Wash the salmon well under cold water then pat dry using paper towels.
2. In a bowl mix together mayonnaise with dried dill and lemon pepper until combined.
I didn't have dill weed or lemon pepper so I grated a little lemon zest and pepper into the mayonnaise mixture instead of lemon pepper.  I substituted a pinch of Itallian seasoning and a pinch of fresh rosemary diced fine for the dill weed.
Using a bnrush coat all sides of the salmon fillets generously with mayonnaise
4. Place a well-greased rack into a greased baking dish and set the salmon (skin-side down) onto the rack
5. Sprinkle the top of the fillets with seasoning salt.
6. At this point you can cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
7. Set the convection oven to heat at 425 degrees (must be a hot oven)
8. Bake the salmon for 5 min. then turn off the heat and let rest in the oven for 2 minutes. (do not turn the salmon. The recipe says to cook for 20 minutes, but we checked it at 5 min. and it was almost done.
9. Serve the cooked fillets with lemon wedges.

Cranberry Orange Nut Loaf

O.K. I have officially lost it.  I inherited a combination
 convection/conventional oven.  I was so excited , but
couldn't find any recipes for a convection oven.  I went
to the library and checked out a book with this recipe in it.
I bought all the stuff, put it together, and placed it in the oven.
As was my habit, I turned on the convectional oven.  Oh well,
I'll try it again. This was an awesome  recipe that I will try again.
If you use  a conventional oven, be sure to cook it longer. 


Printable Recipe  Cranberry Orange Nut Loaf    






Ingredients:
1 large egg - room temperature
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons orange zest
Preheat convection oven to 400 degrees
Add flour, sugar, cranberries, walnuts, baking powder, and salt. Toss to combine. (Take out 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture.)  Make a well in the flour mixture.  In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, water, melted butter, orange zest, and egg. Whisk to combine and add in the well of flour mixture. Mix until combined. Transfer to a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with 2 tablespoons of saved flour mixture. Lay shiny side of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray over top, loosely. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-20 minutes longer.