Chicken Dumpling Casserole

This was super comforting and delicious! I can't take credit for this one... My dad made this up as he usually does and it turned out amazing! I love chicken & dumplings and this really was like a chicken dumpling casserole. Super easy to make! My son loved this! Coudn't get it sholved into his mouth fast enough! Your family will not be disappointed! Enjoy!

Things you will need:
1 Whole Chicken Cut into individual pieces with skin on. You could use Bone-In Breasts too if you only like White meat.
3 Carrots - chopped
3 Stalks of Celery Chopped
1 pkg White Button Mushrooms - Chopped
2 Large Cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Onion Chopped
1 bag Frozen Peas
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
2 Pkgs of Pillbury Flaky Biscuits

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees

 Step 1: Place your cut chicken into the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish. Add in all the vegetables and cans of soup. Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.

 Step 2: Remove Chicken from the Oven and place the biscuits on top of the chicken. Try and put 3 to 4 biscuits in each row until the chicken is completely covered. Place back in the oven for 30 minutes. Once your biscuits are golden brown remove from the oven and enjoy!

Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love lamb! It's so delicious and I really try to incorporate it every chance that I get! So I started thinking about how I could make a new lamb dish with elements of a comfort food dish that I already love. Stuffed Bell Peppers is something that my dad used to make all the time when we were growing up! It was easy to throw together and it was just so darn comforting. I make them now occasionally but my husband isn't a huge fan because of the classic tomato topping. So, I decided to come up with a new stuffed bell pepper recipe. This is where the Greek flavors began popping out at me! I love red bell pepper with any and all Greek food. So, this what I came up with! Delicious Greek style Stuffed Bell Peppers! Please enjoy!

Things you will need:
4 Large Red Bell Peppers (When picking out at the store make sure they have 4 bumps on the bottom this indicates that the Bell pepper would be better baked rather than raw, if you are looking for a bell pepper to eat raw look for one that has 3 bumps on the bottom. Just little side note.)
1lb Ground Lamb
2 Tbsp Bleu Cheese Dressing
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 Large Red Onion Chopped
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary (Stripped and Chopped)
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme (Stripped and Chopped)
2 tsp Fresh Oregano (chopped)
2 tsp Fresh Mint (chopped)
1/2 Cup Feta Cheese
1 Cup Garlic Herb Bread Crumbs
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Things you will need for the Sauce
8oz Container Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Large Cucumber (peeled and seeded)
3 Tbsp Fresh Dill
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
Salt & Pepper

Step 1: Remove the tops of your bell peppers cutting a circular opening around the stem. You want to make the opening rather large because you will be stuffing it. Once you have remove the top start to remove the skin inside the peppers with your finger. Just pull on it and it will come out. Wash it out with some cold water if there are seeds stuck in there! Once your bell peppers are seeded and cleaned roll them in Olive oil and season them with salt & pepper. This will help them roast and get all that delicious flavor infused into your stuffing!

Step 2: First thing I do is place all my herbs into my food processor. This will allow you to get the same consistency on each of the herbs and allow them to blend together prior to adding them to your meat. Place Rosemary (removed from stem), Oregano (removed from stem), Thyme (removed from stem), and Mint in the food processor. Pulsate four or five times! Once they are all chopped it's time to add to our lamb! In a large mixing bowl add the Herbs, Red Onion, Garlic, Lemon Zest, Feta, Bleu Cheese Dressing, Bread Crumbs, Salt & Pepper to your Ground Lamb. Get your hands dirty and really mix this well! You're pretty much making a meat loaf so you want to make sure that every element is dispersed evenly. The Bleu Cheese dressing is really the secret ingredient to this mixture because it gives it moisture as well as a background flavor that most people can't put their finger on! Once your meat is thoroughly mixed your ready for step 3.

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees

Step 3: Stuff the bell peppers with your lamb mixture press it down so you can get as much mixture as you can into each bell pepper. Once you have stuffed all your bell peppers into the oven for 45 minutes to an hour! Once your meat has browned and reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees you can remove from the oven!

While your Bell Peppers are baking make the sauce!

Making the Sauce
Step 1: Peel and remove the seeds from the cucumber. I just use a potato peeler to peel the cucumber. To remove the seeds cut the cucumber into quarters and remove the center.

Step 2: Place Yogurt, Cucumber, Garlic, Dill, Cayenne Pepper, Salt & Pepper into food processor. Pulsate until all ingredients are mixed well. Add 1 Cup of crumbled Feta Cheese to sauce and stir well.

Step 3: Place sauce in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow it to set up.

To serve place 1 Bell Pepper on a plate and top with sauce. Sprinkle a little dill around the plate and top the Bell Pepper with a Mint leaf. Dish complete and oh so delicious!

Caesar Spinach Bow-Tie Salad

This pasta salad is so yummy and is super easy to make! I will upload a photo next time I make this salad. My husband loves this salad and can't get enough! This salad is great to make for Bbq's or family gatherings! If you want to make this salad an entree just add grilled chicken strips. Really gives girth to the dish as well as compliments all the other ingredients!

Things you will need:
1 Box Farfelle Pasta (Bow-tie Pasta)
1 13oz Bottle Litehouse Caesar Dressing
2 Cups Parmesan Cheese (Shredded)
1 small can Sliced Black Olives
1 Bundle Spinach (stems removed)

Step 1: Boil your pasta as the box instructs. Once the pasta is done allow it to cool in the strainer for about 20 minutes. This is a cold salad and you don't want to wilt the Spinach or melt the cheese.

Step 2: Once the pasta has cooled add your dressing. I added the whole bottle because I feel the pasta really absorbs it but it's really about personal preference so if you aren't big a condiments taste as you go! Once you have mixed the pasta add the remaining ingredients and toss making sure all the ingredients are coated with Caesar dressing.

Step 3: Refrigerate for 20 -30 minutes prior to serving. This salad is so delicious when served cold! Try it out! Let me know what you think!

Cheesy Chicken Artichoke Sundried Tomato Pasta Bake

This recipe I just threw together! I was craving something with Artichokes and Sun dried Tomatoes so this is what I came up with! Totally comforting and cheesy! Please enjoy!

Things you will need:
9x13 Baking Dish
1 box Torcoletti Pasta (whatever cork screw pasta you like or whatever you have on hand will work!)
1 8oz pkg Cream Cheese (room temperature)
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
3 cloves of Garlic minced
1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
1 pkg Foster Farms Precooked Chicken Breasts diced
1 pkg Sun Dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil. These are found over by the produce section or with the Raisins.)
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 can quartered Artichokes in water

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees

Step 1: Cook your pasta until its Al Dente, so still a little firm, remember you will be baking it so if it's a little under cooked it's ok! Once your pasta is cooked strain all the water except 1 cup. Reserve this to add a little later. Place your pasta in your baking dish.

Step 2: Mix your cream cheese with the pasta, I did this while the pasta was still hot so it could melt the cream cheese and help evenly coat the pasta. After all the pasta is evenly coated with the cream cheese, add your Alfredo Sauce. Mix well making sure all the pasta is covered in Sauce.

Step 3: Add the Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Garlic. Stir until mixed well. Than add your 1 Cup of water that you saved from your pasta. Mix this in. Once the baking process begins this water will help thicken your sauce that you're creating! It's a great thickening agent! Once the water has been incorporated add 1 cup of Mozzarella Cheese and 1/2 Cup of Parmesan cheese. Mix well!

Step 4: Top the pasta with the remaining Cup of Mozzarella Cheese and 1/2 Cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake pasta for 30 - 45 minutes. Allow the mozzarella on the top to brown and get a little crunchy! This will add nice texture to the pasta! Once removed from the oven allow to stand for 5 minutes prior to serving!





Enjoy!