Kitchen Gadgets That Make Cooking Effortless

Are you a whiz in the kitchen or a wizard with frozen meals?

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite kitchen gadgets that can help any level of cook.

My first and all time favorite is the KitchenAid mixer.  I know a lot of brides-to-be are adding these to their wedding registry and what a smart choice it is!

KitchenAid has been in the appliance business for many, many years.  It's no surprise either.  The KitchenAid mixer is a very versatile appliance.  It can be used for a number of things from mixing, kneading, grinding wheat to juicing oranges and slicing vegetables.  This is a workhorse in the kitchen.  Bed, Bath, and  Beyond is a retailer of KitchenAid products.

Along with preparing that dish in your KitchenAid, you're going to need some quality utensils.  My dad always taught me to buy the best you can afford.  Why?  Because using quality tools for any job makes the job much easier.  I highly recommend purchasing quality bamboo or wooden spoons and spatulas.  World Market carries a nice variety of wooden utensils.

Along with quality utensils, you're going to need quality ingredients.  We use extra virgin olive oil in our home like crazy!  The quality of your ingredients will affect the overall taste of your dish.  The Epicurean Olive Oil Company carries just that...quality olive oils, vinegars, and seasonings.  I guarantee you'll taste a difference in your dishes!

Finally, but not lastly, my final gadget for the kitchen.  Well, it isn't really a gadget but something I highly recommend and really wish (please oh please) would make a huge comeback...the apron!  I love aprons and I use aprons.  Vintage ones.  New ones.  Plain ones.  Pretty ones.  One of my current favorites came from Kirklands and has my initial on it.  It doesn't directly make cooking effortless but it definitely makes clean up effortless!

I'm so glad you stopped by!  God bless!

Angie

Family Recipe Swap: Mamaw's Chicken and Dumplings

Whether you call her Mamaw, Grandma, Nana, or Gigi, you have to admit grandmothers are pretty special and so is their cooking!  Today, I'm participating in a blog tour with bluwaterlife, The Crowned Goat, 2 Bees in a Pod, and Concord Cottage as we celebrate moms by sharing our favorite family recipes.  

Growing up, we called my mother's mother, Mamaw.  My mother has taken on that name from her grandchildren too.  And, let me tell you, these two have made some incredibly delicious dishes in their days!  Today I'm sharing my Mamaw's famous chicken and dumplings...sort of.  I don't have the special touch that she added to hers that made them so flavorful.  Perhaps it was the fact that she used a lot of items fresh from their farm or the fact that she would cook a whole chicken, make her own stock, and her own dumplings from scratch.  Yep, that's probably it but I will say, these chicken and dumplings, inspired by her recipe, are pretty doggone good too!

There is a printable and Pinnable recipe at the end of this post but for now, let's get on with some of the basics.

I use 1 pound of skinless, boneless frozen chicken breasts, boil in about 3 cups of water and 16 oz. of chicken stock, adding poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and butter.  I put these on the stove about 3 hours before dinner and just let them cook on a slow simmer.  You want the chicken to pull apart quite easily.

Once the chicken has boiled for a couple of hours, I used two forks to shred the chicken.  I did this while still in the pot but you can remove it and add it back in.  After the chicken is shredded, add 1 can cream of chicken soup and 2 cups of half and half (I know! Just try to not think about the calories) to the pot.  Stir until the soup is incorporated well.  Next, taking about a cup of the liquid from the pot, pour it into a dish and add a couple tablespoons of cornstarch.  Whisk until the lumps are gone and add back to the pot.  

Next, the tortilla strips (aka dumplings) go in.  I use a pizza cutter to make the strips.  Add the strips into a ziploc baggie with about a half of a cup of flour and shake.  Add the flour-coated strips to the chicken pot and gently push into the stock.

We're almost done!  I let this simmer for about 15 minutes on medium high, watching carefully.  This will allow the stock to thicken from the cornstarch and flour.  

Now, we're ready to eat!!  Be careful...chicken and dumplings are hot!  

Be sure to continue our Family Recipe Swap by visiting my friends at:

2 Bees in a Pod

The Crowned Goat

Concord Cottage

bluwaterlife

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas - The Perfect Dish for Spring

Several months ago when I helped with the Denim and Diamonds Charity Auction, the caterers served this delicious dish of pasta, pesto, and peas.  My daughter and I loved it so we came home and created our own version.

Basically, it's just five ingredients:  farfelle (bowtie) pasta, pesto, mayo, frozen peas, and parmesan cheese for a topping.  The taste, however, is anything but basic.  It's like a taste of spring in each bite.  Very fresh and light.

Simply prepare the pasta according to the directions on the box and drain.  Gently stir in the frozen peas, that have been thawed.

 
Allow the peas and pasta to cool while you mix together the mayo and pesto.  Combine the two well, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Gently stir the pesto/mayo into the peas and pasta.  Wow, this is becoming a tongue twister!

You're now ready to enjoy or refrigerate it for later!

And, just because it's almost St. Patrick's Day, and this pasta, pesto, and peas dish would be perfect for St. Patrick's Day (just to add more p's to the story), I garnished this dish with a sprig of parsley!

Here's a copy of the recipe to print...(gah! another p word!)

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!!

Pangie...I mean Angie!

I'm linking here:

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National Pancake Day - I Added the Chocolate Syrup!

It's National Pancake Day!!  

Make that pan-a-cakes, if you're in our house.  Who doesn't enjoy a stack of delicious piping hot pancakes for breakfast.  You can easily make pancakes from scratch but I use a baking mix and then "doctor" up the mix for whatever our fancy may be that day.

Just because you use a boxed mix doesn't mean you have to keep it in its box.  I use old pantry jars to hold most dry goods.  If you need the measurements for biscuits, pancakes, etc., just copy it from the box and tape it to the jar.

Did you know that most old teacups hold exactly one cup?  That makes them perfect as scoops in flour and sugar jars.  And, the look nice too.  This one is a vintage Homer Laughlin teacup.  I assume it was made for a restaurant or hotel because of the JC monogram. 

Now let's add some flavor!  I add a splash of maple flavoring.  I also substitute part of the milk with flavored creamer.  If the recipe calls for 1 cup of milk, you can add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of creamer.  When I substitute with creamer, I do not add any sugar that the instructions list.  Flavored creamer has enough sweetness and it makes the pancakes really gooooood ;)

Mix well!

Here's a pancake trick that I picked up from Julia Child's cookbook.  Let the batter rest for a few minutes before pouring it in your pan.  You can see in the photo above, there are a lot more air bubbles in the second photo than the first.  Those bubbles will help make fluffier pancakes.

Whether you're using a pan like this one (which I happen to think is the bomb-diggity for making pancakes) or a griddle, always preheat it before adding your batter.  Otherwise, you batter will continue to spread and your pancake will be thin instead of thick and fluffy.

So, now that you've got a nice stack of flap jacks, how about making this to top them with?  Hot, chocolaty syrup!  Here's what you'll need:  1 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I just use store brand or whatever may be on sale), 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1/3 cup of sugar.  Put everything in a saucepan and gradually heat to a slow boil.  Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to simmer.  I like my chocolate syrup thin so that it saturates the pancakes.  If you would like it thicker, you can add a little bit of cornstarch before the boil.  But I wouldn't...just saying :)

So we've got everything prepared.  Let's put it all together.

Mmmm....hot buttery pancakes.  Ready for the syrup!

Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait!

Oh yeah!  Keep going!

That will just about do it!  See the chocolate syrup puddled around the pancakes?  That's when you know you've got enough on there.  It won't stay a puddle for long.  It's going to soak right into those pancakes, making them incredible!

It's a good thing National Pancake Day is on a Saturday.  I think I'm going to need a nap after these!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!

Angie

I'm linking here:THE STYLE SISTERSJENNIFER RIZZOHOME STORIES A TO ZFROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURSCOMMON GROUNDHAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSONCOASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAYFRIDAYS UNFOLDEDFEATHERED NEST FRIDAYONE MORE TIME EVENTSTWIRL AND TAKE A BOW SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLESTONEGABLEUNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMINGA DELIGHTSOME LIFEART IS BEAUTY
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Brown Rice Salad - Great for New Year's Goal of Healthier Eating

Many years ago, my friend began experimenting with recipes for healthier eating.  She nailed this one!  I've made this so many times over the years.  It's so delicious and super easy to make.  There's just 6 simple ingredients.

Brown rice, sunflower seeds, purple onion, feta cheese, Craisins, 

and Newman's Best Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

Begin with cooked brown rice that has already cooled.

Toss in the sunflower seeds, onion, feta cheese, and Craisins.

Pour in the salad dressing and combine until everything is well coated.

That's it!  Enjoy!  Brown rice salad is great for picnics or potlucks since you don't have to worry about spoilage from mayo or meats.  You can also cater it to add or take away any ingredients you like!  I'm including the printable recipe below.  I hope you give it a try!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE
HYMNS AND VERSES
MISS MUSTARD SEED
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

You NEED This Recipe During the Busy Holiday Season

We're beginning our Christmas Blog Tour this week with recipes.  During this crazy, hectic, and busy holiday season, there are a lot of parties, potlucks, get togethers.  Saving time in the kitchen by creating this delicious yet SIMPLE dish will help save time and stress.

There are just 5 simple ingredients in this version of CORN PUDDING.  I got this recipe from a former co-worker y-e-a-r-s ago and I have used it over and over and over again.  It's a classic and it's always a crowd pleaser.  

Ready?  Here ya go!  First, preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Start with 1 box of Jiffy Mix corn muffin mix (IMPORTANT to use this brand. If you can't find it in your store, click here Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix - 6 ct), 1 can of whole kernel corn (drained), 1 can of cream style corn, 1 stick of butter (melted), and 8 oz. sour cream.

Dump all 5 ingredients into a 2 quart casserole dish.  (Yes, seriously, just dump them.)

Stir all of the ingredients together until well blended.

Bake in 300 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes (or until golden brown).

Yes!  That's it!  It's super easy and delicious...even the next day, yum!

And, because I know you'll want to save this recipe, here's a version to print or Pin!  

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!     Angie

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Redneck Nachos for Game Day

It's week 2 of the Fall Blog Tour and we're sharing recipes this week.  We began the week with Jennifer of The Striped House and her Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes (how can you go wrong with those two!) and Lisa of Concord Cottage with Pumpkin Zucchini Lasagna looks delicious!  So, if you hopping over from their blogs, welcome!!

Here's my recipe for the week.  I'm not sure if this qualifies as a recipe or a "throw-together" but either way, it's one of my family's favorites for watching our favorite football teams on game day!

Here's the list of things you'll need:

• 1 large bag On the Border Tortilla Chips (may not take the entire bag but use the extra chips for afterwards)
• 1 pound pulled pork BBQ (If you have a local favorite BBQ spot, that works best but a prepared one from the grocery store will also work)
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans (drained)
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup sliced banana peppers
• 1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (drizzle with about 1/4 cup but you may want the bottle for dipping later)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Now we're ready to assemble!

Cover a baking sheet with the tortilla chips, about one chip layer deep.

Now, spread the entire pound of pork barbecue over the chips.

Spread the northern beans on top of the pork.  I use a large fork or a slotted spoon to keep any remaining liquid in the can from making the chips soggy.

Oh, now for the good stuff.  You don't want to skip this...Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce!  We love this bbq sauce and it adds great flavor to the dish.  Drizzle the sauce over the entire pan, adding as much or as little as you want.  We normally use about a 1/4 cup.  My hubby adds more to his plate of nachos for dipping too!

Now you get to pile on the peppers and onions (or your favorite toppings).  My household is split so our nachos are half onion and half banana peppers.  

Top it all with cheese and they're ready for the oven!

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the outer chips are beginning to brown.  

Once they're out of the oven, you can add sour cream or jalapeno peppers or even Sriracha sauce for a kick!  I like them all on mine! :)

And, you're done!  Just in time because the game is on! 

Here's a printable and Pinnable (from the sidebar, sorry my hover Pin isn't working correctly) recipe card for you:

I hope you give these a try.  They're simple but always a crowd pleaser.  For another great fall recipe, don't forget to check out 2 Bees in a Pod tomorrow!!  The blog tour continues with CoCo and Bobbi later this week! :)

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!

Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE
HYMNS AND VERSES