Chicken Paprika

I've been making Chicken Paprika for over 20 years.  I learned the recipe in a college cooking class.  It isn't difficult to make and it is so delicious!  My Pickiest -Eater -Ever Son absolutely loves it!  I think you will, too.  Here's how to make it.

CHICKEN PAPRIKA

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 onion, cut into thin slices

3 TBS oil (olive, vegetable, canola, etc)

salt/pepper   

paprika

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

Saute the onions in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika.

(I know, this is more than 4 chicken breasts, I made extra because my son will eat it for lunch the next day).

When the onions are golden, remove them from the skillet and set aside.

Brown the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken broth and return the onions to the skillet.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Put a lid on the skillet and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes (my chicken breasts were on the thin side, if you are using real thick ones simmer 20-25 minutes or until cooked through).

 Once it is done simmering, remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Whisk the sour cream into the broth and onions until smooth.  Do not boil it!  It will curdle!  Just gently warm it through.

Whisk it until it is smooth.

Remove from heat once it's warm.  Spoon sauce over the chicken.  I always serve this with angel hair pasta.  The sauce is wonderful over the pasta!

See how easy that was?  You are definitely going to want to give this one a try.  Let me know what you think.

Spicy Chicken & Sausage Pasta

Hi Guys!

I'm back!  I'm six weeks post surgery and doing well.  I had a spinal stimulator implanted to help with the chronic back & ankle pain I've been dealing with for years.  So far so good.  Praise God!

I made a really yummy pasta dish last night and made sure to take some pics so I could share with y'all.  It's pretty quick & easy, too.

SPICY CHICKEN & SAUSAGE PASTA

1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced into thin pieces
1-2 boneless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into cubes
1 onion, diced
1/2 a bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes & green chilies
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS cane syrup (or honey)
salt/pepper
1 lb Rotini pasta (or penne, bow ties, ziti, etc)

Bring a big pot of water to boil for the pasta.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the sliced sausage on both sides.

Once browned, remove the sausage to a plate and set aside.  Add the chicken to the rendered sausage drippings.  Season it with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.

Once browned, remove the chicken to the plate with the sausage and set aside.  You should have some brown bits on the bottom of the skillet.  This is called gratin in Cajun cooking.  It adds a ton of flavor to food.  We are going to get those bits up by adding the onion and bell pepper.  While they cook, the water in them will help release the bits from the skillet.
 

Cook the veggies down for about 5 minutes or until softened.

Next, add the chicken broth and the water then scrape the rest of the brown bits up.

Now add the Rotel tomatoes.  I zip them in a blender first because my picky guys don't like chunks of tomatoes.  But you don't have to.

Then add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and 1 Tablespoon of cane syrup (or honey). 

Return the sausage and chicken to the skillet.

Let this simmer for 10 minutes or so until the pasta is done.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the skillet.

Stir well to incorporate.  Taste it to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  It has a bit of spice so you may not need any pepper unless you like it really hot.  You can garnish with green onions or parsley.

This dish is warm and filling.  Serve it with a salad or green vegetable for an easy supper.  Give it a try and let me know what ya think.

Black-eyed Peas & Cabbage

Happy New Year!

Long time no see.  I haven't had time for blogging lately.  I've been dealing with some medical issues and my Etsy Shop had a nice Christmas rush so I was sewing in the spare time I did have.  I may not be writing for another stretch because I am having surgery in mid January.  But I thought I would wish y'all well and tell you about a Louisiana tradition.  On New Year's Day we eat black-eyed peas and cabbage.  It's supposed to bring us health and wealth.  Who couldn't use both of those?

I never liked smothered cabbage, which is how my Mama and her Mama cooked it.  So I roast my cabbage.  It's very easy.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prep the cabbage by peeling off the first few outer leaves and cutting off the stem and core.  Then cut the cabbage into 8 wedges.  Place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden brown on the edges.  Done.  So yummy!

Black-eyed peas take longer but are just as easy and a great way to use up that leftover Christmas ham!  If you don't have ham, use smoked sausage or bacon.



BLACK EYED PEAS

1 lb dried black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 TBS oil
4 cups chicken broth (or water)
salt/pepper/Cajun seasoning

Heat oil in a big pot on medium-high heat.  Add ham and brown lightly. 

Add onions and cook until softened a bit.

Add beans and broth (or water) to the pot and stir.  Season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Bring to a boil then cover, lower the heat and simmer for an hour and a half to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve the black-eyed peas over rice.  Yum!

Make these recipes and treat yourself to some extra health and wealth!  Have a super fantastic 2019!

Simple Chicken and Noodles

Happy Fall Y'all!

It's finally starting to cool off a little around here.  Woohoo!  Man, I love Fall.  It makes me want to visit pumpkin patches and bake bread while wearing a sweater.  It's just awesome.

If you're busy doing Fall-y type stuff all day, you'll need a simple recipe to cook for supper.  Here's a good one:

SIMPLE CHICKEN AND NOODLES

2 chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped (or 10 baby carrots)
4 cups chicken broth
12 oz egg noodles (or broken spaghetti, or elbow macaroni)
salt/pepper
a little oil (2-3 TBS)
1 TBS butter


Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat a little oil over medium-high heat.  Brown the chicken.  You don't need to cook it all the way through here.  It will finish cooking later on.

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.  Add the onion, celery and carrots.  Saute until softened.  To speed this process up you can add a little water then cover.  Let the veggies steam for a few minutes then stir.  Repeat until softened.  Season with salt and pepper.

Return the chicken to the pot.  Add broth.  Bring to a boil.

Add the butter then add the noodles.

Stir well and press the noodles down as best you can.

Put the lid on, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

It's done when the broth is absorbed and the noodles are tender.


Garnish with a little parsley.

This is a simple dish that's comforting and filling.  Plus it makes a little chicken go a long way.  Great way to use up a few chicken breasts.  The family gave it the thumbs up.  Give it a try and see how you like it.

Easy Banana Nut Cake

Hello Everyone!

It's been a long time.  Unfortunately I have been dealing with even more ankle issues.  I had a couple of procedures that seem to be helping.  I actually think I'm on the upswing!  So that's good.

Yesterday was a rainy day.  One of those days when you just want to stay inside.  I like to cook on days like that so I made a big pot of chicken and dumplins.  While that was simmering away I noticed some ripe bananas in the fruit bowl.  I had a box of cake mix in the pantry.  I always have pecans in the freezer.  You see where I'm going with this.

EASY BANANA NUT CAKE

3 medium sized bananas (the riper the better)
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Spray every nook and cranny.

If you don't have a Bundt pan, no worries.  Use a 9x13 cake pan, but only spray the bottom of the pan, not the sides.  Also you will bake for a shorter amount of time.

Mix bananas, eggs and water well.

Add the cake mix.  Mix until well incorporated.

Stir in the chopped pecans.

Pour batter into the greased Bundt pan.

Bake for 39-43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (If using a 9x13 pan bake 33-37 minutes).  Take it out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes.  Then, flip it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

You can leave it upside down for a clean, more professional look.

Or leave it right-side up for a rustic, homemade look.  Personally, that's what I like.

You could sprinkle powdered sugar on top when cooled or make a simple glaze by mixing powdered sugar and milk.  But I like it plain, as is. 


This cake is seriously easy.  It's sort of a cross between a cake and a quick bread.  Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!  A good recipe to have on hand.  Enjoy!