After being sick for almost an entire week, I was craving something home style and delicious. I decided to make Chicken Spaghetti but didn’t have any cream soups (I don’t particularly care for them, so I don’t keep them on hand). After looking up some recipes, I decided to create my own.  What developed was a semi-spicy Southwest style Chicken Spaghetti. The panko spread on top of the dish gave it a nice color and crunch.  It was tasty and easy. I’m excited because I froze half of it for a quick meal later. Here’s the recipe:

 

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Season-All or Lawry’s seasoned salt

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

8 oz dry spaghetti or angel hair pasta

1/2 bell pepper (whatever color you prefer), chopped

1 stalk celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 cup butter, plus 1 tbsp (5 tbsp total)

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can Rotel Tomatoes, drained

2 1/2 cups grated cheddar

1 cup panko bread crumbs

kosher salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Season chicken with seasoned salt or kosher salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until done.  Meanwhile, cook spaghetti to al dente in a large pot of salted water. Drain spaghetti and return to pot; add chicken to the pot. In the same skillet used for the chicken, add 1 tbsp olive oil if needed.  Cook vegetables until crisp-tender in juices from chicken.  Add chili powder, cayenne and oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  In a small sauce pot, heat butter over medium-low.   Add flour and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth and milk, stirring or whisking to combine.  Cook over medium heat until thick, about 4-5 minutes.  When sauce had thickened, stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a small dish, mix in Panko bread crumbs.

 

Add vegetables and drained Rotel tomatoes to the stock pot already containing spaghetti and chicken.  Pour in the sauce, stirring to combine.  Spread mixture into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish, or two smaller dishes, if you wish to freeze half for later.  Spread remaining cheddar cheese and Panko bread crumbs over the top.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are browned. Enjoy!

Beer-Glazed Foccacia

Dough:

2/3 C. water                                          1/2 T. kosher salt

3 1/2 to 4 C. flour                              1/4 C. grated Romano or Parmesan

1 pkg. yeast                                           2. T. olive oil

1 T. sugar                                               1/2 t. ground black pepper

2/3 C. hefeweizen (room temp)    1/2 C. cornmeal

1/2 t. dried basil

Glaze:

1 1/2 T. olive oil                                        1/2 T. each dried basil and marjoram

2 large yellow onions, sliced thin

1/4 t. each salt and pepper                   1/3 C. Scottish ale 

Suggested toppings: strips of roasted red peppers, minced Canadian bacon, crumbled feta cheese, and strips of smoked provolone

1. Heat the water to 110 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 c. flour with yeast and sugar. Pour in water and whisk thoroughly. Let set for at least 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the hefeweizen, basil, salt, cheese, oil, black pepper, and cornmeal; beat thoroughly. Stir in more flour 1 c. at a time until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn dough onto counter and knead, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to the counter and your hands.

3. After 8 to 10 minutes of kneading, the dough will be smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled – approximately 1 hour.

4. While dough is rising, heat 1 1/2 T. olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently until translucent. Add salt, black pepper, basil, and marjoram and cook until mixture is golden. Add Scottish ale and raise the heat. Continue to stir and cook until liquid is evaporated.

5. Punch dough down and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Using fingertips and a lightly oiled surface, stretch and pat dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Place on a pizza stone or baking sheet.

6. Rub dough with olive oil and spread with glazed onions. Top with peppers, bacon, feta, and provolone. Bake at 450 degrees on lower shelf of oven until top is bubbly and bottom is golden – check after 15 minutes.

Greek Croustade

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach

1/4 C. onion

3 T. butter or margarine

3 T. flour

1/4 t. dried tarragon, crushed

1 C. milk

2 beaten eggs

1 C. cream-style cottage cheese

1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese

10 sheets frozen phyllo dough (17X12-inch rectangles), thawed

1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well, pressing out excess liquid. In saucepan cook onion in the 3 T. butter till tender. Stir in flour, tarragon, and 1/8 t. pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir a bit of the hot mixture into the eggs and keep adding until all mixed. Stir in cheeses and set aside.

Unroll the phyllo dough; cover with dampened towel (or work quickly!). Remove 1 sheet of dough; brush lightly with some of the 1/2 c. butter. Fold in thirds lengthwise; brush the top with butter. Place one end of the folded sheet in center of a 12 or 14-inch pizza pan extending it over side of pan. Repeat buttering and folding with the remaining phyllo dough and butter; arrange strips spoke-fashion evenly around pan. (The ends of each sheet will overlap in center and be about 3 inches apart at outer ends.) Spread spinach mixture in an 8-inch circle in center of pastry. Starting with the last phyllo leaf placed in the pan, lift end of leaf up and bring toward center of filling. Holding end with both hands, twist end several times; coil and tuck end under to form a rosette. Lay rosette over filling, leaving a 3-inch circle in center (filling should be visible). Repeat with remaining strips in the reverse order they were placed. Drizzle any remaining butter over all. Bake in 375 degree oven 35-40 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or cool. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 8 side-dish servings.