Spinach and Smoked Gouda Stuffed Chicken

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This is one of my favorite chicken recipes and I seem to rarely make it - I'm always trying something else, I guess! It's a basic stuffed chicken recipe but it's so rich and delicious that it's perfect for guests (I've made it for dinner guests before). You obviously don't have to stuff it as full as I did; I made too much stuffing to go in just two pieces of chicken and I wasn't about to waste it!

The cheese could change, I suppose, but I just love the rich smoky flavor of smoked gouda. And did I mention that smoked gouda is my favorite cheese ever?

At one time, I had an actual recipe for this but now I just eyeball it. I'm sorry my measurements are not exact - just make it up! This time, I bought thick slices of gouda at the deli counter, so I could buy just enough, and cut it into small pieces instead of shredding. You can see that in the picture (along with where the pat of butter was!).

Spinach and Smoked Gouda Stuffed Chicken
1 box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of liquid
1 box of cream cheese, softened
Shredded smoked gouda - about half a pound for 4 large chicken breasts is plenty
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Butter
Salt and pepper
Ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the cream cheese, spinach and smoked gouda in a small bowl. Sprinkle some nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the mixture. Slice the chicken breasts open to make a deep pocket. Stuff each breast with the cream cheese mixture and place in a greased baking dish. Put a pat of butter on top of each piece of chicken and salt and pepper over top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Frittata Roma

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This recipe was really good. I'm a fan of quiche but Jason really hates crust (how is that even possible?) and quiche takes a long time to cook. A frittata has the same feel of a quiche but without the crust and cooks in a fraction of the time.

I got this recipe from my friend, Kathy. You can change up the ingredients and use things you already have on hand. I used my large cast iron skillet for it. Perfect all in one pan dish!

(I sprinkled the top with grated parmesan right before taking the picture!)

Frittata Roma
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced (I used roasted red peppers instead)
1 red onion, sliced
8 ounces fully-cooked Italian sausage, sliced into coins
1 14-ounce can small artichoke hearts, quartered ( I roughly chopped them prior)
1 cup (4 ounces) Provolone Cheese, shredded (I used mozzarella, I had some on hand)
6 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I used grated)

Preheat broiler. In 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter. Add sundried tomatoes, peppers and onions; cook 3 minutes until onion is tender. Remove from heat, stir in sausage, artichokes and Provolone.

In medium bowl, beat eggs with basil, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over pepper and onion mixture. Gently toss together. Return skillet to stove over medium-low heat; cook until frittata edges are set, 3 to 5 minutes. Place frittata under preheated broiler, 5 inches from heat for 3 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Remove from broiler, sprinkle with Parmesan, and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Honey Walnut Shrimp

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I found this recipe on AllRecipes while looking for new ways to use shrimp. It had great reviews and, since it's my favorite faux chinese dish at Panda Express, I wanted to give it a try.

I hit 4 different stores in my hunt for the mochiko without success so I went with cornstarch, which several reviews substituted with. I plan to hit an Asian food market for it since I'd like to try it the "right" way.

The dish was fairly easy and quick (though a little messy...). I thought the shrimp might adhere to the batter better if they were patted dry, which is what I did with the first batch, but instead it made it difficult to dip - the batter is a gluey texture. So, I tried it "wet" and it worked perfect and went a lot faster!

I was impressed with this recipe. I really think it tastes just like something you'd order at a chinese restaurant (or Panda Express!). We'll definitely have to have it on a fairly regular basis (as regular as I make any dishes) even if Jason picks out all the candied walnuts. More for me!

Honey Walnut Shrimp
1 cup water
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour) - I used cornstarch instead
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.

Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Walnut-Shrimp/Detail.aspx?prop31=1

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

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Every once in awhile, I check out a magazine at the library called Cook's Country. This is the first time I have made a recipe from it and it was a good one. Today it's cold and wet outside so this was perfect! It was quick, about 30 minutes to prepare, and flavorful. Plus, everything was made in one skillet which means less dishes!

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce
1 pound ground beef (85% or so)
1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese
Salt and pepper
EVOO or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces egg noodles
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken

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This is another recipe from Rachael Ray magazine. It was easy and hands off, since you can throw it in the oven and walk away for awhile. The chicken was flavorful and very juicy. It's another $10 spot meal and was actually very cheap since HEB had bone-in chicken on sale ridiculously cheap a couple of weeks ago and I had everything else on hand. By the way, I have always purchased the tiny can of chipotle peppers in a adobo sauce and typically only use 1 or 2 of the peppers each time. So, I started to take the teensy plasticware containers (the ones that always come in box sets and you never use) and put 2 peppers and some sauce in each and freeze. That way, I rarely have to purchase cans! I just yanked one out of the freezer to thaw the night before I made this recipe.

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken
3 tablespoons butter
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds) <-I used chicken breasts, thighs gross me out

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.

Add the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to the skillet. Add the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Using tongs, coat the chicken in the sauce and place skin side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.