Love Shack Larder

Better than Rotisserie Chicken

This week after watching a new favorite cooking show, The Chew,we were inspired to try viewer Donna Giblin's recipe for Artichoke Chicken.  Except that we didn't use artichocks or mushrooms so we are officially dubbing this the Philbrick's "Better than Rotisserie Chicken" because the sauce that is used reminds us of the chickens that you get at the grocery store...only so much better! 

So off we went to the farmer's market that sets up every Wednesday here at our development's Community Center to find some fresh veggies to add to our one-pot chicken dinner.  Since I'm not a fan of artichokes...I really wanted some fresh green beans to add to the dish since I love lemon juice on my beans and the zing in this sauce would have worked just as well.  But there were no green beans so we grabbed some sweet vi-dalia onions and some sugar snap peas instead.

Better than P.F.Chang's: Hot n'Sour Soup

This is an update to this post because we were so pleased with the results of this recipe that we have already made this recipe two more times since I originally posted it on February 12th.  We love it so much that I want to include it in Tidymom's second annual soup extravaganza, Soupapalooza (Feb. 28-Mar. 5)

Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dishsponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset:

Better than P.F.Chang's: Hot n'Sour Soup...

If I don't SAY so myself...I know that DH agrees with me...he says "it's perfect!"

For some time now we have been toying with the idea of trying to create our own version of Hot n'Sour Soup here at the Love Shack.  It's one of our favorite things on the menu at P.F. Chang's...along with their lettuce wraps...yummy! 

Then last week we were watching Dr. Oz and he had Chef Ming Tsai on the show to share his Shitake Hot and Sour Soup recipewhich is suppose to help boost your immunity.  We felt like Chef Ming Tsai's recipe was the best that we have seen, when it came to the fresh, organic ingredients and that he made it looks so quick and easy to make.  So after picking up the ingredients at Trader Joe's on Friday, we decided to try our own version today.  That would be with chicken breast in lieu of tofu...just not a fan of soybeans...and sans the carrots since I'm allergic to them ;}

Fresh n'Fast Chicken Tortilla Soup

Come join Soup-a-Palooza with TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers.

This recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup is one that we have adapted from several recipes over the years.  We were looking for one that used as many fresh ingredients as possible and that was thickened naturally by pureeing the beans in lieu of using a thickening agent such as powder.  ALSO I am not a fan of bell peppers or corn in my soups/chowders...but you could certainly add them if you are ;)

Quick & Easy Chicken Tetrazinni

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

This Foodie Friday recipe originally came from a friend who made Turkey Tetrazzini every year after Thanksgiving.  It was a great way to use up the white and dark meat (especially ;) that was always left-over and using left-overs is what makes this recipe quick and easy.  Over the years I have tweaked it for my family by adding the vegetables that they like and using steamed chicken when I make a batch of it...like I previously posted about here ;) 

 

WFMW: Back to Basics Steamed Chicken

 

Kristen, our wonderful WFMW host, is showcasing a beautiful Family Memory Box from a re-purposed printers box that she picked up for a steal at $10.00!  So be sure to hop on over and check out her post this week for Works-for-Me WEDNESDAY...I'm so jealous...I'd love one of these antique printers boxes ;) 

This week I'm talking about how steamed chicken really works-for-me any day of the week!  Whenever there is a sale of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at my favorite grocery store, I stock up and fill my freezer.  AND if my freezer is TOO full...which happens ALOT now that we have a smaller refrigerator/freezer here at the Love Shack ;)...then I pull out my steamer and cook up several pounds of the chicken breasts.  "WHAT'S a steamer"...some of you may be asking...well it is an electrical appliance that you can buy.  I have had two different kinds over the years, one large and one small...and I like my smaller one the best.  Mainly because it takes up less cupboard space and we just don't cook large enough quantities to warrant the larger one anymore. 

Back to Basics: Roasted Chicken n'Gravy

Well I'm back to blogging and finding comfort in cooking this week!  Still feeling a little melancholy and we have been having really bad thunderstorms this week so I decided to roasted a chicken in the oven and make a batch of home-made gravy.

Nothing better than smelling a chicken roasting in the oven all afternoon and a pot of stock simmering on the stove-top!  Now I'm sharing it all with you today by linking up with Michael Lee on her weekly blog feature: Foodie Friday:

Be sure to hop on over and check out the other great Foodies!

Back to Basics: Poached Eggs & Leftovers

 

Last week for my Foodie Friday's post I showed you all how we do some fantastic Grillin' here at the Love Shack :} 

Well...as you can in the above photo...I pulled another marathon!  Grillin' Marathon that is by cooking alot of food for just DH and myself here at the Love Shack :D  Those who know me well...know this about me...I usually call this POWER COOKIN' and I have cooked this way since my boys were little and I was a single, workin' mum.  I would cook all weekend so that I'd have food ready for meals during the week when things were hectic and I was trying to get the boys fed, bathed and ready for the next day.  I mentioned this before when I showed you all how I make Cheesy Barbecue Meatloaf.  

Back to Basics: Grillin' Time & a Giveaway at Foodie Friday

 

It's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum and Michael Lee is giving away another KitchenAid Mixer so be sure to check out all the details!

This week I'm showing my family the Basics of Grillin' here at the Love Shack because the weather is perfect and whe n you use the grill it usually means less clean-up after dinner and I'm all for that!  This time of year we stock up on aluminum foil because it becomes our favorite cooking utensil for roasting vegetables and fish in-on the grill. 

Foodie Friday: Spicy Mixed Fried Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Foodie Friday at Michael Lee's Designs by Gallum blog!

This week I made an ole family favorite...Mixed Fried Rice...with a kick!  For years I have been making mixed fried rice and never wrote down the recipe because to the Chinese, making and having mixed friend rice is like Paella to the Spanish.  In other words...it's left-over night and everything that you have "left-over" in the refrigerator come Friday night gets thrown in the pot!  When we were kids we were fortunate enough to live in Taiwan, a little tiny island off the coast of main land China.  There, we had Mixed Fried Rice every chance we got...which was usually on Friday nights at the NCO Club.  Mom never attempted to make it much at home because Dad didn't care for white rice after being in two wars (Korea and Vietnam), he'd had all the rice he could stomach!  So then as an adult I started making it in my own kitchen and it NEVER came out the same each time...mainly because the ingredients change with your left-overs...right!  So now I'm writing the recipe down so that my boys at least have the basics to start their own version of this favorite dish!

Back to Basics: Bar-b-que Chicken

Designs by Gollum: Foodie Friday

Wow...where did this week go?  But I sure am happy that it is Friday because I'm looking forward to relaxing in my hammock catching up on reading for my French Historical Reading Challenge during the nice days...and snuggling up with DH in our dual reclining love-seat watching movies at night.  Got some good movies on the way from Netflix...this one in particular!

So much do to and so little time...and yet we still have to eat!  That's why I love simple food...that is food that is simple to make yet takes great...like my Bar-B-Que Chicken Breasts here:

This blog post is another Back to Basics recipe that I'm doing for my family as well as anyone out there who is afraid to cook chicken on the bone...you all know who you are...lol  It is also to demonstrate that you do not need an outdoor grill to make great bar-b-que ANYTHING...this was done in a regular oven like my ribs and pulled pork!

When buying your chicken you can use any part that you prefer, legs, wings, the whole bird...or split chicken breasts like I have here...we just prefer alot of white meat ;D  So begin by cleaning the chicken parts by rinsing them with clean water and removing any excess fat and cartilage...I use my kitchen shears to make this quick and easy.  Then pat the chicken part dry with paper towels and lay them on a rack on a broiler or roasting pan...the heavier the pan the better to catch the drips as well as to hold up to the high roasting heat.  A baking sheet will do but I would like it with foil first to keep it fresh for future baking.

 

Preheat your oven for 400 degrees and season all sides of your chicken with salt and pepper...that is it!  Then place your pan in the center of your oven and set the timer for 15 minutes.

 
 
When the timer goes off, pull your pan out of the oven...carefully now because of the juice drippings in the bottom of the pan...see how nice and golden they are already getting ;D  Now flip the pieces and put the pan back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

 

Simple...see not rocket science...and you can even cook this from another room...right Sis :D

At this point if you have a drip jar/can you should drain off the liquids to reduce the fat drippings from burning and smoking in your oven.  When you cook this on an outdoor grill all the drippings are burned off with the open flames.

 

So when the timer goes off for the second time...again pull the pan out of the oven and this time you are going to base the bottom of the chicken with whatever bar-b-que sauce you prefer.  Then you will turn the pieces over once again and put the pan back into the over for another 15 minutes.

 

NOW for the final cooking...you are going to baste the top of your chicken with your bar-b-que sauce and place into the oven for the final 15 minutes of cooking...for a total time of one hour or sixty minutes.  What this flipping and timing does is roast the chicken evenly and by adding the sauce the last round, you are not going to burn the sauce...which is something alot of people do...and that doesn't always taste good and really...eating burnt food is questionable as far as health risks.

Yummy in my Tummy...the sauce is nice a carmelized and sticky...just like it should be :D  AND it was so SIMPLE...one hour in the oven on a rack!  You can prepare this the exact same way on an outdoor grill, just close the cover and cook it on low to reduce the burning.

 

Dinner is served :D

Hope you all enjoy Foodie Friday and SIMPLE food...have a great weekend!!