In an effort to continue stretching my dollars and saving towards opening my bakery doors, I needed a grocery item that would stretch throughout the week. You already know the answer to this riddle don’t you?
CHICKEN!
I came up with a list of recipes to utilize my little chicken and the first one on the list was chicken pot pie. Unfortunately not many of my measurements are exact…but it was so yummy.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
8 cups of cold water
Lemon herb seasoning
Orange pepper seasoning
Onion
Celery
Garlic
Paprika….I put paprika in/on EVERYTHING
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Frozen package of carrots and peas
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
6 Pepperidge Farms puff pastry shells
Directions
I actually had my chicken cut up into pieces at the meat market…..I washed them, seasoned them with some of everything, and put them in a large pot. Cover the chicken with the cold water. SEASON THE WATER HEAVILY! Bring the water to a boil and then lower the fire to a simmer. I let the chicken and stock simmer overnight on the absolutely lowest possible setting ever. I skimmed the fat and oil from the top and then used a slotted spoon to take all of the chicken and bones out. Then I strained it to get just pure stock. I ended up with 2 1/2 tupperware containers of stock. I froze 2 of them for the future and tossed the half back in the pot. Using my hands I picked all of the chicken out and put it in ziploc bags (for future meals) and set about 2 cups of it aside for the pot pies. I added both cans of cream of chicken to the pot of stock, the cream, chicken, and peas and carrots. Bring mixture to a boil and then cut down to a simmer and let it blend together…..stirring constantly to get the lumps out and blend the flavors. You can taste it but if you seasoned your stock well then it’s going to be soooooooooooooooo yummy without you having to add anything else.
Remove the puff pastry shells from the package and cook according to the instructions. There is actually a recipe for pot pie on the back of the box but I think mine is better.
After the shells have risen, cooked, and cooled for about 5 minutes – remove the tops and spoon your filling in the shell.
I delivered 2 dozen Butter Pecan cupcakes for a birthday yesterday and after I left I heard that everyone was asking if they tasted this ingredient or that ingredient. The recipient told them that I wouldn’t share my recipes because this a business. I never thought of not sharing my cupcake recipes until a few weeks ago when Aly tried to recreate something she’d seen here and said that she didn’t ask for the recipe because she knows it’s for the bakery. The idea never even crossed my mind. So after yesterday I thought maybe I shouldn’t post cupcake recipes…just pictures. But by that time I’d already promised people the recipe and I told yesterday’s customer, even if her co-workers could figure out what was in the cupcakes, they won’t taste like mine. I’m not necessarily being cocky but besides the fact that I’m good at what I do, the majority of my ingredients are all natural and locally grown. Things that I can’t go to the farm and purchase straight from the source….I settle for the organic version available at my local Whole Foods. The pecans used in the making of this recipe come straight off the tree in my mother’s backyard.
So I don’t mind sharing at this point but since the general consensus seems to be that the recipes are secrets….I might not share anymore anytime soon.
This butter pecan cupcake is my absolute favorite and will be the house special when I get up and running. I absolutely love it!
Ingredients:
1 cup + 2 tbsps softened butter – divided
2 2/3 cups chopped pecans
2 cups sweetener (depending on your preference – processed sugar, turbinado/raw sugar, agave nectar, etc…) I used the light agave nectar
4 eggs
2 tsp PURE vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
In a small, heavy skillet, melt 2 tbsps butter. Add pecans and cook over medium heat until toasted….about 4 minutes. You’ll be able to tell the difference in them as the pecans begin to soak up the butter.
Cream sweetener and remaining butter until light and fluffy (if doing this by hand…be patient. You will get light and fluffy after about 2 minutes). Add eggs. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder….SIFT….add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk and ending with milk. Fold in pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes. HINT: Your cake is done when you can smell it so regardless of what time I say….if you begin to smell it at 20 minutes it is time to check and see if they are done. The way to tell if a cake (or cupcakes) are done is to insert a toothpick in the center and see if it comes out clean.
I don’t do that. If I can smell them and I touch them and they spring back….they’re done.
I top these with my own maple cream cheese buttercream frosting and it is to die for!
Ingredients:
8 ounces of cream cheese
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tsps PURE vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup (PURE….not Aunt Jemima’s!)
Cream butter, shortening, cream cheese and extract. Gradually add powdered sugar and syrup. Beat on low speed until nice and creamy.
I was watching the weather tonight and it was so funny to me that when I lived out there in your neck of the woods it only snowed once but here in Chicago it snows from November til April. Man do I miss the south! LOL How was your Thanksgiving? I know the menfolk in your house waited to the last minute to ask for some baked desserts. What did you end up making? Everybody makes pies and cobblers but what abut us cake loving folks? What do we get in the fall. I know you’re going to bring up that Cane River Pound Cake recipe from a couple of years ago. Where did you find that recipe anyway? I think you have to be FROM Cane River to be able to make that! Big sis, I’ve never met a cake that I couldn’t conquer until that one. Let me tell you what happened.
It was one night a couple of days before Thanksgiving 2007 and I had the recipe in hand.
Cake Ingredients
2-1/4 cups sugar
8 ounces butter
6 whole eggs
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons praline liqueur
1 ounce rum
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Icing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 cup milk
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon praline liqueur
Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Whip until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sprinkle in flour and baking powder, a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Continue to whip until ingredients are well blended. Add milk, vanilla, praline liqueur, rum, pecans and coconut. Continue to whip until all ingredients are well blended. Oil and flour a tube or angel food cake pan and fill with the cake mixture. Bake in the center of the oven for one hour fifteen minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Remember that many ovens cook at varying temperatures, so check cake often. Remove the cake and allow to cool. In a small saucepan, combine remaining butter and milk over medium high heat and add confectioners’ sugar and praline liqueur. You may wish to add a drop of your favorite food coloring. Remove the cake from the baking pan and paint with the praline glaze. Continue until all is used up.
I hadn’t been living here that long and Hassan was out in the truck on the road. I don’t remember who it was but somebody told me that there was a big liquor warehouse off of the Roosevelt exit….well hell I knew where that was so I got in the car and went looking for it. Me, at night, off the Roosevelt exit, looking for a liquor warehouse = PURE COMEDY but I found it and it was really a damn warehouse! So I’m inside asking for praline liqueur and the salesperson helping me said I should just call you and ask you to ship me some. So here I go…..smarty pants me…..I get what I think is closest to praline liqueur: some Godiva chocolate liqueur. Sounds good doesn’t it? Yeah I know it does. Well then the damn recipe called for coconut and you know I’m allergic to coconut so I figured it wouldn’t hurt if I just left it out.
I have an announcement for everyone. Crockpots/Slow Cookers are not just for country living anymore. How great is it to be able to dump all of your ingredients in one big pot and walk away. It’s fabulous that’s what it is! I picked up a brand new 7qt crockpot from a big box store last weekend and I was dying to make a huge pot of chili. What more could you ask for when the weather calls for an ADDITIONAL 6 inches of snow and wind chill factors well below zero?
Now let me say something about browning my ground beef. I wanted a complete crockpot cooked meal and I was concerned about cooking the ground beef in the pot but after some serious internet searches and some slow cooking experience I felt very comfortable with my plan.
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs of ground beef or turkey
1 large Spanish onion (the white one) diced
2 packages of McCormick’s chili seasoning (1 for each pound of meat)
3 cans of chili beans (I’m not brand loyal)
2 15oz cans of Hunt’s Seasoned Diced Tomato Sauce For Chili
Garlic powder to taste
DIRECTIONS
Lay the ground beef in the bottom of the crockpot. Smoosh it down and spread it out to the sides. Season it with salt and pepper and cut the pot on high. Leave it alone for 2 hours with the lid on. Stir it up because the meat on the bottom will be cooked. Re-smoosh it down and spread it out again and leave it for another hour. By this time all of the meat will be cooked. Drain it using either a colander or by using a slotted spoon to remove the meat and put it on a paper towel covered plate. Pour the remaining grease out of the pot.
Dump everything in the crockpot and let it cook on high for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.
mmm mmmm good!
You’re on your own when it comes to garnish. I prefer some good mild cheddar cheese on top of mine but you can top it with cheese or sour cream or crackers or whatever.
