Chicken Stew with Biscuits

I found this recipe as I was going through my grandmother's recipe cards again. It was so easy and has become a favorite of ours.  You get the same taste and texture as chicken pot pie without all the calories.  It's a perfect comfort food.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375
• In a ovenproof skillet or dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Blend in 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper.
• Add 1 1/3 cups chicken broth and 3/4 cups of milk.  Cook, stirring until thick. 
• Add 2 cups cubed cooked chicken*, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 2 cups frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, etc). Simmer til bubbly.
• Top with raw biscuits.
• Bake in oven 20 to 25 mins or until golden brown.

*Sometimes I will use meat scissors to cut up chicken in small pieces and will cook the onions and chicken in the butter, adding a little extra butter once cooked.  Then continue with the recipe starting with the flour.  I have also cooked the chicken breasts in the chicken broth the recipe calls for in a covered pot and then cut up the chicken to add to recipe later.  A third option for you, buy a rotisserie chicken when you are at the store or next time you grill, grill a few extra chicken breast to use in this recipe later.  Lots of options ;)

Easy Baking Powder Biscuits

These have become a regular staple in my house.  Whether on top of Chicken Stew, for biscuits & gravy, or as a side for a meal.  They are easy, yummy, and reliable.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter, cold
• 3/4 cup milk, cold

Directions

• Mix dry ingredients
• Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork til butter is crumbled in flour.
• Add in cold milk and stir with spoon til blended.
• Turn out on clean surface, squishing dough into a mound.
• Pat down dough til 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits
• Bake at 425 for 12 to 15 min

Banana Bread - the sequel

Awhile back I took a stab at making the recipe for banana bread that my grandmother gave me. The result was delicious, but more like banana cake.  I really wanted a recipe that I could make and not feel guilty about eating for breakfast. Something with not as much sugar and more banana.  Here's my result.  I generally make this in a loaf pan, but you can also bake them as muffins.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 ripe bananas

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside.
• Whip bananas in mixer 3 to 5 mins til fluffy, transfer to another bowl and set aside.
• In same bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy.  Add in eggs, one at a time.
• Add bananas til blended
• Add dry ingredients to wet
• Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 45 to 50 mins.

Chai Cake

After the success of the Lemonade Cake, I decided to use it as inspiration to make a cake using my favorite Chai concentrate.  The results are what I think is the most perfect spice cake I have ever had.  The spices aren't too strong or overwhelming.  They are just...  soothing to the tongue!


Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (soft)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup Chai concentrate (I used Tazo)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

• Grease bundt pan (or two 9 x 2 inch pans if you prefer)
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  Set aside
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy (approx 2 min).  Add eggs one at a time.
• In large measuring cup, combine milk, chai, and vanilla.
• Alternately add flour and liquid mixture to butter mixture on low til just combined. Make sure to add flour last.
• Pour into pan and bake for an hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cakes sit for 5 min, turn out of pan, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool.

Lemonade Cake

I've made this cake twice now and it has been a hit both times.  It's just so refreshing!  I recommend icing with a lemon buttercream icing (just replace the vanilla with lemon extract).

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (soft)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tsp pure lemon extract

Directions

• Grease two 9 x 2 inch round pans.  Line bottoms with parchment paper; grease paper.  Flour pans, tapping out excess.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar til fluffy (approx 2 min).  Add eggs one at a time.
• In large measuring cup, combine milk, concentrate, and extract.  Mixture will look curdled.
• Alternately add flour and liquid mixture to butter mixture on low til just combined. Make sure to add flour last.
• Pour into pans and bake for 35 min.
• Let cakes sit for 5 min, turn out of pans, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool.

Favorite Muffins

Another from my grandmother.  This recipe is plain, it's simple, it's yummy!  For the first time, I don't plan on changing a thing.  Great quick muffin that can be used to go with your favorite soup, breakfast, or dessert (strawberry shortcake anyone?).





Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/2 cups four
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Prehead oven to 400.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Beat egg, stir in milk and oil.  Mix in remaining ingredients just until flour is moistened.  Batter should be lumpy.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from pans.

Applesauce cake

I have now made this recipe three times and it has been a huge hit with everyone!  This is definitely a new fall favorite.  But lets be honest, I like fall flavors all year round :) However, per my usual habits I changed a few things.

- Used butter instead of shortening
- Reduced the amount of clove to 1 tsp
- Increased the cinnamon to a heaping 1 Tbsp
- Did not add nuts or raisins.
- Use no sugar added plain applesauce.  The recipe itself calls for more than enough sugar that you don't really need to add more to it!

The last time I made it, I also baked it into loaves instead of a cake pan and put a Cinnamon icing on it top.  For the cinnamon icing I used 2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 4 Tbsp milk, 4 cups confectioners sugar.

Ingredients:
  2 1/2 cups flour
  2 tsp baking powder
  1 heaping Tbsp cinnamon
  1 tsp cloves
  1 tsp salt

  2/3 cup butter
  2 cups sugar
  2 eggs
  2 cups applesauce

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, then mix in applesauce.  Add in dry mixture til fully incorporated.  Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 til done (amount of time depends on what size pan you use.  For loaves I did 30min, for a 9inch round pan it took closer to an hour.