Ingredients

• Salt and pepper, for seasoning chicken
• Crisco shortening, for frying
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (2 1/2 pound) chicken, cut into pieces

Directions

Heat shortening in a cast iron skillet to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs with water in a small bowl. In a shallow bowl, season flour with pepper. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then coat well in flour mixture. Carefully add to hot shortening, in batches if necessary, place lid on top of skillet, and fry until brown and crisp. Remember that dark meat requires a longer cooking time (about 13 to 14 minutes, compared to 8 to 10 minutes for white meat.)

Note:  This is Jan’s tweak to this recipe, I always soak my chicken overnight in buttermilk, it makes it moist and tender and gives it a bit of a zippy flavor.  You can use sweet milk, too – either way it just adds to the taste.

Recipe and Photo courtesy of Food Network

Ingredients

4 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
Seasoned salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken base (you buy this in a jar at the grocery store)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
1 cup chopped cooked carrots
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional
Special equipment: 4 (2-cup) individual baking dishes

Directions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies. Leave oven on at 350 degrees F.

Filling:
Rotisserie chicken works well for this, if you’re in a hurry. or you can season your chicken with salt and pepper, and saute in the oil in a large skillet until thoroughly cooked.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. This works best for me if I use a whisk, then add cream whisking continously so it doesn’t lump. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.

Note:  Use salt sparingly, as the chicken base is quite salty.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Photo:  Food Network

Pretty awesome, aren’t they?  Check your local grocery stores…

Okay, I was skeptical, but I do think he’s onto something by twisting off the bottom and making a sandwich.  Cupcakes are difficult to eat…

Photo cropped and reprinted from Pioneer Woman’s website         

Pioneer Woman has done it again.  Pizza on a bun, is this heavenly or what?  Just had to share this in case you don’t follow Pioneer Woman, although I don’t see anybody wouldn’t want to, the woman is a legend, at least she is in my household!

Here’s the click, ladies, enjoy…

When I cook cranberries, I always think of my friend Veronica.  She taught me how she makes them and it’s so simple. 

A bag of cranberries (I buy multiples at Christmas and freeze them)
1 cup Splenda
1/8-1/4 cup water

Simmer until they pop, then squeeze in the juice of an orange.  So easy, and so good!

We’re having them tonight, using a bag of frozen berries from the freezer…

You have to serve this with mashed potatoes and corn, it’s just the way it’s done.  Trust me, the mashed potatoes make it wonderful.  This is so simple, a recipe from my childhood, back in the days when goulash was a staple in our diet.  It’s fast, quick, and the perfect food on a cool fall evening.

1 lb. ground round/sirloin/chuck – whatever you want to use works
1/2 bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion (1/2 cup) finely diced

Brown the above, season with salt and quite a bit of ground pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon.

Meanwhile cook elbow macaroni or your pasta of choice to el dente, I use about a half a pound of pasta, but you can add more if you like.

Meanwhile open a large can (28 oz.) of crushed tomatoes, put in a saucepan, add the drained meat mixture, add the drained pasta and simmer for just a few minutes.

AND, add sugar.  I use Splenda, about 1/4 of a cup, because we like it sweet.

That’s all there is to it, I eat it like I did as a child, with a scoop of mashed potatoes in the center of my plate and the goulash spooned over the top.

Mother always added the corn directly in her goulash mixture, I cooked mine separately and put it on the side.

And don’t turn your nose up at the potatoes, I know it’s two starches, but this is comfort food people, and trust me, you will be comforted after you eat this.

Of course, real mashed potatoes are always best, but instant potatoes work, or those great Bob Evans refrigerated ones.  Just fix whatever, and enjoy, your family will love this!

Some people add herbs and garlic to their goulash, but to me it’s best just to keep it simple with the green pepper and onions.  It’s peasant food, comfort food, warm memories, and delish!  Pinky swear it is…

Photograph from Land O’lakes & Pioneer Woman

Pioneer Woman makes the most amazing looking Pasta Primavera.  I found her recipe on the Land O’Lakes site.  You all might want to look at this awesome recipe for deadent veggies and pasta.  What could be better?

Here’s the link…

These pork chops are just wonderful, and they’re healthy! 

I have to give my son, Ryan, a world class cook, by the way, credit for making these chops.  You simply brown well on one side on your stovetop over medium heat, flip them and immediately put them uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  I use convection heat and it takes about twenty minutes for chops that are 3/4 inch thick.  Add another 5 minutes or so if you don’t use convection.

The secret to this is to blot the chops first with paper towel to remove moisture, so they “fry” in the oven.  I love to use a grill pan, as the chops sit above any liquid that collects and gets the great grill marks that everybody likes.

We are huge fans of Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic to season chops and chicken.  It’s been around since the 80’s, available in your spice aisle and it’s unbeatable!  Add lots of fresh cracked pepper and you’ve got an awesome dish.

Spray the skillet with Pam, you don’t need any oil, and these chops are low in calories without sacrificing flavor.  I also make boneless chicken breasts this way, it works equally well.

I sometimes use Soul Seasoning for these chops with excellent results, too.  The brand is Spice Islands, and it’s also in the spice aisle.  I found this recipe to make your own Soul Seasoning, I would think it would be really good and inexpensive to make.  Check it out here and see what you think.

~ Jan

You can save a massive amount of calories with this substitute, I can’t wait to try it!

I was reading Jamie, at Your Lighter Side, this morning, my favorite Low Carb Blog, and she is posting a substitution for Brown Sugar Blend Splenda, which I seem to never have on hand when I need it.

Her alternative looks pretty good, and so many less calories than the Blend.  If I’m correct, I believe that in the past I made a copycat Brown Sugar Blend Splenda, which was half brown sugar, half Splenda, but Jamie is saying that you can add one Tablespoon of molasses to every cup of “your favorite sweetener” which for me is Splenda, mash it with a fork to incorporate molasses and you have a wonderful substitute.

And one tablespoon of molasses is 58 calories, however, 1/2 cup of brown sugar is 415 calories, and that is a HUGE savings.

Sounds good to me, I know what I’m going to be trying in the kitchen today!

 You can read her entire article here…