Tag: mushrooms

“Nothing awakens reminiscence like an aroma.” ~ Victor Hugo

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There are several reasons I love a crockpot.

First of all, the ease of making dinner and second how it fills your house with a fabulous aroma. Makes me look forward to dinner all day long. Another reason is pretty easy clean up – especially if you use those handy little crockpot liners.

This meal was no exception.

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

  • 1 lb chicken breasts (if they are particularly large, I cut them in half)
  • 1 cup Marsala wine
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 4 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • salt/pepper
  • Prepared Rice (I prefer Jasmine Rice)

Season chicken with salt and pepper then place in crockpot.

Add in mushrooms and garlic. Top with Marsala wine.

Cook on low for 5 hours.

In a bowl, make a slurry with the water and cornstarch by mixing together until dissloved. Remove chicken from crockpot and pour in slurry, stirring to combine. Place chicken back in crockpot and turn up to high and cook for an addition 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve over rice.


-abp

 

“Life has got all those twists and turns. You’ve got to hold on tight and off you go.”~ Nicole Kidman

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I’m always looking for simple side dishes (that pretty much cook themselves). Because of this, as I have mentioned before – I love roasted vegetables of any kind! With Brussels Sprouts and asparagus right up top of my list.

I was happy to run across a recipe that adds a little different twist to normal roasted asparagus due to the addition of mushrooms and a little soy sauce.

Great way to switch it up!

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 12 ounces asparagus, trimmed
  • 4 ounces shiitake (or any mushroom blend besides white button) mushroom caps, sliced
  • 1½ teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine olive oil, pepper, asparagus, and mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet; toss to coat. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp-tender. Drizzle with soy sauce.

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-abp

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” ~ Michelangelo

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There is a touch of fall in the air!! And that is so hard to believe considering it’s the middle of August in Alabama. But I am not complaining at all! It has been a very mild summer and for that I am grateful – pregnant in the summer in the south is not a good thing. Oh the swelling and the sweating. Fun, huh?

I’m afraid the temperature will start rising again this week so I’m going to enjoy this very mild morning while I can and tell you about an easy crock pot dinner we had last week. It’s packed with flavor and simple, simple, simple.

Angel Chicken

(adapted from cleverlyinspired)

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (your choice of kind – I used a combo of button and shitake)
  • 1 0.7-oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix
  • 1 10-3/4-oz. can condensed golden mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1/2 of an 8-oz. tub cream cheese spread with chives and onion
  • Hot cooked rice

Start by melting butter in a sauce pan and add in Italian dressing, stir until mixed thoroughly.

Stir in soup, cream cheese and wine unit completely melted and combined. Gently fold in mushrooms.

Place chicken in crockpot and pour sauce over the top.

Cook on low for 6 hours, serve over rice.

Angel ChickenThis will become one of your quick “go-to” meals!

-abp

“Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.” ~ Hippocrates

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I’m so happy that my seafood man “Bayou Joe” (who has been out of commission because of health reasons) is feeling better and back at selling good quality seafood.

That is why I have two shrimp recipes this week. I bought 2 lbs of shrimp and a pound of scallops which I can not wait to use. Anybody have any “can’t live without” scallop recipes??

This recipe is an adapted version of the Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole from the locally famous Winning Seasons cookbook that was put out by the Tuscaloosa Junior League in the 70’s and is a must have for any southern cook.

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Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole

  • 2 Tbs chopped green onions (green part only)
  • 2 Tbs chopped sweet onion
  • 2 Tbs slice mushrooms (I used the kind in the jar because it was all I had but fresh preferably)
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 1 Tbs worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 Tbs mustard
  • A few shakes of hot sauce
  • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 can cream of mushroom
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups cooked wild rice
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • Pam cooking spray

Preheat over to 350º.

Saute pepper, onion and mushrooms in butter until soft.

DSC03362Mix together onion mixture, worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce, shrimp, soup, salt, pepper, cheese and cooked rice.

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Place in prepared (spray with Pam) casserole dish and top with bread crumbs and spray crumbs with Pam (to help brown). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until browned and bubbly. (I had to broil at the end to get it brown enough)

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This is very simple meal that can be easily doubled and served to a crowd or it can be a different swing to a weeknight comfort meal.

**Note** – this could also be made with chicken.

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Enjoy!

-abp

“You knew when you married me I’m more Coco Chanel than coq au vin” ~ Carrie Bradshaw

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My stupid, stupid cold is back. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I have no idea why this year has been so bad.  The DH is threatening to take me to the doctor to see if they will take my tonsils out…….I believe this is mainly because he’s a big ol’ chicken about catching it from me. Although – if it will help me feel better on a regular basis – I’m all for it! I’ll just think about all the gelato I would have to eat while I recuperated.

I’d like to make my own gelato – does anyone have one of those electric counter-top ice cream/yogurt/gelato makers? I think I want one…….

Oh well, hopefully I’ll feel better tomorrow. On to brighter topics…….

DINNER!

On the menu tonight is the less fussy Coq au vin. Everybody loves a good Coq au Vin but is not always up for the work it can sometimes require.  So I say this is Coq au Vin’s country cousin.

Country Style Coq Au Vin

  • 1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
  • 1.5 – 2 lb. chicken breast, cut up
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 pound small white mushrooms
  • 1 cup frozen small white onions, thawed
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

First you brown your bacon and remove to slow cooker with slotted spoon.

Next reserve a tablespoon of bacon grease and brown your chicked (seasoned with salt and pepper) on all sides. Then remove to slow cooker.

Add mushrooms and onions on top of chicken.

De-glaze your pan with the white wine and add the garlic and rosemary for 1-2 minutes to release flavor.

Pour over vegetables, chicken and bacon.

Stir all together and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

After the allotted cooking time, remove vegetables, chicken and bacon to bowl and keep warm.

Pour pan juice into small sauce pan and mix cornstarch and water in a bowl.

Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into sauce pan with juice and bring to a boil stirring constantly until thickened.

Pour thickened sauce into bowl and mix.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

This is a wonderful dinner for a cool fall night! There were no leftovers!

Granted, this is not the prettiest dish you have ever seen but do not let that discourage you! It’s very good!

You could also serve this in a bowl over rice a la gumbo style. I think that’s what I will do next time.

Happy Fall Y’all!!!

abp