Chicken Stew With Biscuits

I love this chicken stew, it’s my all-time favourite.  Ina makes these with homemade biscuits, but I can’t be bothered to mess around with making my own, I found the Pilsbury Country Biscuits work excellent in this recipe.

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tube pilsbury country biscuits

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through.

Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.

Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream.  Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well.

Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling.  Bake another 20 – 30 minutes, until biscuits are puffy and golden, and stew is bubbling.

Tiny Baby Sushi

After years of not doing anything with my polymer clay, I thought I’d finally give making food miniatures a whirl.  Here is my first attempt.

Birthday Boy’s Beer Can Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Today was the boyfriend’s birthday, so I thought I would take advantage of the occasion and the last long weekend of the summer and finally get around to making Beer Can Chicken.  I had always wanted to try it, and never had, so I was a bit scared, but…whatever.

First off, turn on the barbecue to high and let preheat.

I used:

• Fryer chicken
• Can of my favourite beer
• Store bought chicken rub (next time I’m making my own)

Rub the rub all over the naked chicken.  Stick can up chicken’s butt like so:

Put onto grill, turn the side the chicken is on down to low, and keep the other side up around medium – high.  Let chicken cook until it’s done, about one to one and half hours.  Chicken is done when internal temperate reads 185°F (85°C) on a meat thermometer.  I found my chicken was browning really quickly, so I through some foil over it loosely while it cooked for the last half hour

The balsamic bbq sauce recipe I used is from here.

1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put all ingredients in small saucepan over med heat.  Bring to a boil, then simmer til mixture has reduced about 1/3 and thickens to desired consistency.  Baste over chicken during last half hour.

Remove chicken when done and let rest 10 mins prior to serving.  Enjoy.

Meatloaf For People Who Don’t Like Meatloaf.

I know, I know, it’s not really meatloaf season, but the paper I have this recipe scrawled on is about to disintegrate, so I thought I’d post it online so I don’t loose it.   I prefer to make this in the oven, but a lady I know will make it in the microwave – she microwaves it for 11 minutes, adds ketchup on top and microwaves for another 11 on high.  Me, I’ll preheat my stove and do it the old fashioned way.  I have this aversion to microwaved meats, I don’t even like thawing meat that way.  I like my microwave for reheating coffee and yesterday’s chinese take-out.  Well, without much further ado…the meatloaf:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup minute rice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 saltine crackers, crushed
• 1/2 c. ketcup
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 2 tablespoons bbq sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon italian herb seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 small onion cut into fine pieces
• pinch of salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all together in a bowl, put into loaf pan and bake one hour.  Serve.  I like this with garlic mashed potatoes and carrots in a brown sugar butter glaze.

I Sphynx You Look Great!

Mr. Bigglesworth, eat your heart out!

Paula Deen’s House Seasoning

This is more of a reminder to myself not to lose this recipe, as seen at The Food Network Website.  Thanks Sara!

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

It’s been awhile.

Yes, I know.

I don’t know how many times I have started and entry for the Trash, sighed in disgust, and deleted the incessant ramblings. But, without further ado, regardless of how terrible and boring this entry is, I shall post it. *I think I can….*

So, a couple of months ago, I lost my job. Due to the economy, blah blah, I was laid off, in addition to several others at my workplace. I still do not have a job. Nor have I received a penny from my unemployment insurance benefits, and I have resorted to social assistance. The maximum allowable amount I am allowed to receive a month from welfare is $572 per month. My rent is $650 a month plus hydro. I haven’t quit figured out how I’m going to cover the extra yet, as I am officially out of money.

It kind of sucks. Some of you may or may not already know, but I have issues with anxiety/depression, and I have medication that I take for them. Well, since I no longer have benefits, I can no longer afford my meds, and therefore, I had to go off them cold turkey, so that has resulted in a slightly psychotic Trashy. Oh, my poor boyfriend. Such a trooper dealing with my mood swings and violent public outbursts. Hopefully that will pass soon.

So, in order to make myself smile, I kidnap the bf’s dog during the day while he works, and we have tea parties:

I am teh suckiest blogger

EVAH!

I shall update more in a bit, but I shall just comment that Whatever! With Alexis and Jennifer is the best invention EVER!

Chocolate Chip Raisin Banana Loaf

You’ll need:

1/4 unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1 egg
4 ripe bananas mashed (decent size bananas)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
chocolate chips- as many or little as you would like
raisins – as many or little as you would like
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly butter or non-stick spray a loaf pan
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Gradually mix in egg, and bananas. Add cinnamon, chocolate chips and raisins.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to banana/egg mixture, until just combined.
6. Bake in oven for 55 – 60 minutes.

Hello World

No, I haven’t died.  I think I got a bit of blog burnout from participating in NaBloPoMo, and honestly, I haven’t really had anything over exciting to talk about.  Work has been really busy, so I have quite busy doing that, and I did the regular family holiday thing over holidays, plus, I’ve been dealing with some health issues  – nothing too serious, I’m not dying or anything – but I’ve been busy and preoccupied just enough to not feel like I have anything interesting to post on the Trash.

In proper kitty mommy fashion though, I do have some new pics of my girl Frank:

Quite the regal little meow'er.