Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

One of the worst parts about moving is changing jobs.  I've had a lot of different jobs, from my first babysitting gig as an eleven-year-old (don't worry, my parents were next door), to a summer spent opening gallon tubs of potato salad and grape jelly at a youth camp, to a torturous stint in a data entry cubicle.  I've taught piano lessons and dished up Chinese food and sorted through mountains of historic nursing school documents.  Some jobs were great; others were barely worth the paycheck.

Moving usually means you have to leave your job behind.  My last day at work was a week ago.  My job was awesome.  Yeah, it was a library, and I'm a librarian, and I was thrilled to be finally working in my field, even as just a lowly clerk.  And yeah, I was privileged to spend my afternoons with probably the best group of coworkers ever.  But one of the best parts of my job was the food (you knew there had to be some point to this, right?).  My coworkers throw a party for every major life event.  Every time someone has a birthday, there's a party.  Every time someone has a baby, there's a shower.  And we're not talking stale chips and dip here.  These are all-out feasts with salads and casseroles and five kinds of dessert.  The library hosts an annual "edible book festival" for the school and the community that celebrates books and--you guessed it--food.  On Administrative Professionals Day, half the staff brings in treats to share, because "we're all administrative professionals, right?"  The culinary arts students bring in samples of their masterpieces throughout the school year.  There are almost always donuts and candy and random treats in the staff work room.  And I was sent off with a going-away party to rival all others.  It's a miracle they didn't have to roll me out of there.

One of the repeat foods at our parties (besides Carol's brownies and Ward's artichoke casserole) was a deliciously fattening chicken bacon ranch pizza.  If you live in Fort Wayne, you should visit MJ's and try one.  If you don't, you can still make it at home--and this is a great use of that Brakebush chicken in the back of your freezer!  I haven't given any amounts for the ingredients--just use what looks good, and don't skimp on the cheese.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Crust for one 12" to 14" pizza (follow my directions here, or use your favorite)
Bottled ranch dressing
Mozzarella cheese
Red or white onion, diced and sauteed in olive oil until tender
Cooked plain chicken, diced
Cooked bacon, crumbled (or real bacon bits)

Spread a thin layer of ranch dressing on unbaked crust, to within about 1/2" of the edge.  Layer remaining ingredients on crust in order listed.  Bake according to crust directions, or until cheese is melted.

Chicken, Swiss, and Mushroom Sandwiches

Melty, bubbly Swiss cheese meets tender, sauteed mushrooms and onions in these fast and easy chicken sandwiches.  Oops.  For a minute there I thought I was writing a cookbook.  Let's try that again.  These sandwiches are great, and you should make them.

(Photos courtesy of my awesome brother.)

Oh, and they really are bubbly and melty and tender and full of chicken-y goodness.

Chicken, Swiss, and Mushroom Sandwiches (from this recipe)
Time:  30 minutes
Serves:  4

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 envelope Italian or Caesar salad dressing mix
4 large sandwich rolls or buns (submarine, onion, Kaiser, etc.), split
1-2 T. butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 T. olive oil
4 slices Swiss cheese

In a large bowl, sprinkle chicken with salad dressing mix.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet, then toast cut sides of rolls in butter until golden brown; set aside.  In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms and onions in oil for 3 minutes.  Add chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Spoon mixture onto roll bottoms; top with cheese.  Broil for 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Replace tops.

Chicken with Curried Mango Sauce

I'm not really into dishes that combine fruit with meat.  I love meat.  I love fruit.  But apples with pork chops just aren't my thing.  Sometimes, though, I feel adventurous and try out a recipe that I normally wouldn't, just to make sure my taste buds aren't missing out.  Tonight I made these Pecan Crusted Chicken Wraps with Strawberry Honey Mustard.  They were pretty tasty, if you ask me.  My husband (who shares my fruit+meat opinions) thought they were too sweet.  I probably won't make them again, but they were a nice change of pace.

We both agree, however, that this mango chicken is basically awesome.  Since my [husband's] camera died this week, and since I don't make any major changes to the recipe, you'll just have to go here to make it.  You can substitute green or yellow bell pepper for the red.  I think the basmati rice is delicious with the tropical-ish flavors, but plain white or brown rice will work as well.  Just remember to start cooking it before you begin the chicken.  Butterflying the chicken breasts--or cutting them in half horizontally--will help them cook faster.  I also find that 1 tsp. oil is not nearly enough to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan, especially if it's been butterflied, so start with 1 T. oil, then add a little water later if the meat is still sticking.  Enjoy!

P.S.  Fresh chicken breasts are on sale at Kroger this week (through Thursday) for $1.88/lb.

P.P.S.  Aldi has some great deals on produce this week (through Wednesday), including 3-pack cucumbers for $0.69, 1-pound baby carrots for $0.69, 8-ounce mushrooms for $0.69, 10-ounce grape tomatoes for (you guessed it) $0.69, and 3-pack bell peppers for $1.29.  I love Aldi.

Cranberry Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is a) one of my favorite summer meals and b) basically awesome.  It doesn't hurt that it is required by law to be served on flaky, buttery croissants, the best bread known to chicken salad-dom.  And since croissants come in all sizes, these sandwiches are great for any occasion.  Pile up mini croissants for a fancy shower or tea.  Pack a basket of standard-size sandwiches for a picnic lunch.  Stuff one of those giant croissants to split with your sweetie--or to devour yourself.  (I may have just done exactly that, which is what happens when I'm left to forage for dinner by myself.)

The star of these sandwiches (besides the croissant, of course) is the dried cranberry.  These little guys burst with flavor and color and almost make you think that you're eating health food.  This time I found my dried cranberries at Aldi in a 6 oz. bag for $1.39.  I was so excited about the great deal that I didn't read the package very closely.  It wasn't until I was two bites into my sandwich that I realized my cranberries were cherry flavored.  Um, no.  Aldi does carry regular dried cranberries; you just have to hunt around for them.  I also think most grocery stores carry a generic version of Craisins; either way, you don't have to shell out half your paycheck to make these mouth-watering sandwiches.

Cranberry Chicken Salad (based on this recipe)
Serves:  4
Time:  15-20 minutes

1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup dried cranberries (preferably unsweetened)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2/3 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise (start with the smaller amount and add more if necessary; I use olive oil or low-fat mayo)
2 T. chopped red onion (optional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash salt
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
4 croissants, split
4 lettuce leaves (optional)

In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients.  Add chicken.  Spoon onto croissants; add lettuce, if desired.

Crispy Chicken Quesadillas

It's hot.  Today it was hotter in Fort Wayne than in Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, and, yes, even the Bahamas.  Eighty-seven degrees.  In March.  In Fort Wayne.  Pretty soon the Floridians are going to be planning spring break trips to Indiana so they can work on their tans.  And while I haven't turned on the air conditioning like some of you wimps out there, I determined that using the oven was still a dumb move.  Instead, I broke out the food processor and made ham and cheese spread.  It's not the healthiest meal out there.  I don't think it even qualifies as a meal.  It is, quite literally, ham and cheese and mayonnaise and more cheese on crackers.  Seasoned with sherry, mustard, pepper, and... definitely not salt.  My brain must've melted--it's the only possible reason I could have been talked into eating that stuff for dinner.  Or pure laziness.  Did I mention it was hot?

Anyway, if you're looking for something a bit more reasonable that also doesn't involve turning your kitchen into a blazing inferno (more on that another time), I suggest these tasty quesadillas.  I adapted them from a recipe found on Pinterest, and you can make your own changes too, although the combination of chicken, rice, and black beans is hard to top.  I used small tortillas, which worked either as quesadillas or folded in half and stuffed; larger (burrito size) tortillas can be made into wraps, as described in the original recipe.

Crispy Chicken Quesadillas
Time:  30 minutes (plus rice- and chicken-cooking time)
Serves 6


1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I used one bag of boil-in-bag brown rice to save time)
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
butter or cooking spray
1 pkg. small flour tortillas
about 2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar
sour cream, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes, for serving (optional)

Thoroughly combine first 10 ingredients (through garlic salt).  If necessary, heat mixture in microwave (it should be warmer than room temperature).


Preheat a skillet over medium heat.  For each quesadilla, butter two tortillas on one side only.  Place one tortilla, butter side down, on hot pan.  Quickly sprinkle cheese over tortilla, leaving narrow border around edges, then allow to partially melt (to speed this process, top with a lid--avoid overcooking the tortilla).  Spread chicken mixture over cheese.  Top with second tortilla, butter side up.  When bottom tortilla is browned, flip the whole quesadilla and brown the second side (I use two spatulas, one to flip and the other to "catch" the quesadilla on its way down).

Serve with sour cream, lettuce, and tomato (avocado is yummy, too!).

Greek-Style Chicken Wraps of Awesomeness, with Homemade Olga Bread and Tzatziki Sauce

Yesterday, in honor of my birthday and the uncharacteristically warm and beautiful weather, my husband and I made these Greek-inspired chicken wraps.  Everything was made from scratch, from the yeasty-sweet flatbread, to the tangy yogurt and cucumber sauce, to the juicy grilled chicken skewers.  They. were. so. good.  If you never cook another thing from this blog, you must give these a try.

Granted, it took us about three hours, start to finish (if partly due to poor planning on my part), and the ingredient list is half a mile long.  I can suggest a few shortcuts:  1. Use store-bought flatbread or pita bread.  2. Use sliced Brakebush chicken and drizzle on the marinade.  3. Buy a wrap from King Gyro's.

Seriously, guys.  This isn't Quick Cooking.  If you want food this good, sometimes you really have to spend a little extra time to make it.  Trust me--it's time well spent.  Just wait for a leisurely, warm weekend, fire up the grill, and do a little planning ahead so you don't waste an extra hour (like me).  Not that I minded.  I got to spend half my birthday eating and cooking with my husband, and it was pretty great.

Some tips before you begin:
-If possible, make the tzatziki sauce a day ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld.
-It's also a good idea to begin marinating the chicken a day ahead, or at least in the morning.
-If you do end up making everything at once, start with the chicken, then make the bread.  While the bread rises and chicken marinates, you can make the sauce, chop vegetables, and start the grill.  With two people, the whole process should take about two hours.

Greek-Style Chicken Wraps (based on the recipe here)
Serves 4-6
Time:  50 minutes, plus 1-24 hours for marinading

Marinade:
3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (NOT straight balsamic vinegar)
3 T. lemon juice (from 1 1/2 lemons)
1 T. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Tzatziki Sauce:
1/2 cup seeded, shredded cucumber
1 tsp. coarse or kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 T. lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1/2 T. rice vinegar (OR white vinegar)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 tsp. dill weed (OR 1 T. chopped fresh dill)
1/2 tsp. Greek seasoning (I make my own from the recipe here)

Toppings:
1 small head romaine lettuce, thinly chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

In a small bowl, combine first four marinade ingredients.  Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag.  Add marinade; toss to coat.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers (if using) in water.  Prepare Olga bread (recipe below).  Chop lettuce, red onion, and tomato.  Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat (you can also broil the chicken, if you must, but it won't be nearly as tasty).

Prepare tzatsiki sauce (best if made the day ahead):  Toss cucumber with coarse salt, and allow it to sit at least 5 minutes (the salt releases excess moisture).  In a medium bowl, combine remaining sauce ingredients.  Squeeze cucumber to remove excess water; stir drained cucumber into sauce.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove chicken from marinade and place evenly on skewers.  Discard remaining marinade.  Grill chicken until juices run clear (my husband did this part, so I don't know how long it takes).  Remove from heat and wrap in foil to keep warm.

Serve chicken, tzatsiki sauce, and toppings wrapped in warm Olga bread, pita bread, or flatbread.

Homemade Olga Bread (recipe from my parents)

This is the easiest yeast bread I've ever made.  Once you get the hang of it, the rolling and pan frying goes quickly.  It helps to have two people--one to roll the dough while the other cooks it--but the dough can also be rolled all at once (stack lightly floured dough rounds on a plate, then stack them back on another plate as they're cooked).  The result:  a yeasty, slightly sweet flatbread that beats anything you could ever buy at Meijer.  It tastes best fresh out of the pan, but I suppose it could be frozen (although I've never actually tried doing so).  Yum.

Yield:  16 flatbreads
Time:  1 hour, plus 1 hour for rising

1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups flour (divided)
1 egg

Scald milk in a small saucepan by heating it over medium-low, stirring with a whisk, until it reaches 120 F (milk will just barely begin to cook to the bottom of the pan).  Reduce heat to low.  Add honey and butter; whisk until melted.  Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar in a small bowl.  Let stand 5 minutes to allow yeast to activate (mixture will become bubbly).  Pour milk mixture into a large mixing bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups flour and beat well.  Add yeast mixture and egg; beat well again.  Gradually add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour until sticky dough forms (if using a hand mixer, you may need to finish out with a mixing spoon).  Do not add more flour!

Knead for two minutes (I do this right in the bowl).  Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel; place in a warm place and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.  Punch down and divide into 16 pieces.  (Roll the dough into a ball, cut in quarters with a sharp knife, roll quarters into balls, then quarter again.)  Roll each piece into a ball.  On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball to 1/8 inch thick (about 7 inches in diameter).

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  (I use a regular metal skillet, not a nonstick or cast iron one.)  When skillet is very hot, begin cooking bread (do not add any oil or butter--cook on the dry pan).  Cook each piece for 15 seconds on the first side, then flip with a thin, wide spatula and cook 10 seconds on the second side (yes, you do have to stand there and count).  Serve warm.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

One of my favorite meals while growing up was this cozy casserole.  I'm pretty sure I requested it for almost every birthday as a child, except for the ones where I wanted chicken a la king.  I loved chicken.  I loved broccoli.  I couldn't think of a better way to eat them than nestled together on a bed of rice, under a delicious creamy sauce.  At least, that's how I'd describe it now.  As a ten-year-old, I probably just called it "yummy."

The original recipe is my grandmother's.  She called it "classic chicken divan," which always made me think of elegant ladies swooning on fancy couches.  (We just called it "chicken and broccoli.")  Somewhere along the way, my mom started adding the rice and some extra seasonings; I've doctored up the recipe a bit myself.  The sauce is a delicious homemade version of cream of chicken soup; it's much better than the stuff that comes in a can.  You can use cooked chicken (yay for Brakebush!) or turkey.  My mom always parboiled chicken leg quarters and tore it into bite-size pieces by hand, which I think is the best option, but this time I used grilled Brakebush chicken and some leftover cooked turkey.  I would recommend tearing up the chicken by hand, rather than cubing it with a knife--it gives you more control over removing bits of fat and gristle.

As for the broccoli, either fresh or frozen works--whatever you use, cook it before adding it to the casserole.  Fresh broccoli can be steamed or microwaved, but don't overcook it, or you will end up with a mushy, unappetizing blob.

Since there are quite a few steps to this recipe (cooking the rice and broccoli, preparing the chicken, making the sauce), it helps to make the individual components ahead of time.  You can also assemble the entire casserole and pop it in the refrigerator until needed; just increase baking time by 5-10 minutes to make sure it heats through.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Time:  60 minutes
Serves 6-8 (but this recipe is easy to halve since everything is from scratch)

2 bunches (about 1 1/4 pounds) fresh broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces (stems included) OR two 10-oz. packages frozen broccoli
2 cups uncooked rice
1 T. olive oil
1/4 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half-and-half OR milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and curry powder
4 cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
dash paprika

Cook rice.  Meanwhile, cook broccoli until just tender-crisp; drain.  In a small pan, combine olive oil, onion, and garlic; saute until tender (do not preheat oil, or the garlic will burn).  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter; whisk in flour.  Slowly add broth, whisking until smooth (be careful of the hot steam!).  Cook until thick, stirring occasionally.  Slowly stir in cream; add salt, pepper, cayenne, curry powder, and onion mixture.  Remove from heat.

Spread rice in bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole or pan.  (You can also keep the rice separate and serve it with the casserole at the table.)  Add broccoli to casserole in an even layer.  Pour half of sauce over broccoli.  Top with chicken.  Add cheese to remaining sauce and pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with extra cheese and a dash of paprika.  Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  (If using a metal pan, you can also broil the casserole for the last 5 minutes to brown it.)

Indian Butter Chicken

I don't know that much about Indian food, and I know even less about Indian cooking.  Once I tried to make naan, and it came out hard as a rock.  (Incidentally, the recipe called for something like 1/4 cup of yeast.  It didn't help the bread rise at all, as far as I could tell.)  One recipe that turns out every time for me, though, is this one for Indian butter chicken.  I have no idea how authentic it is; I can't even remember where I got the recipe, although I've doctored it up a bit myself.  It uses fairly basic ingredients and isn't too time-consuming, although I wouldn't recommend it for busy week nights.  I think it tastes best over rice, with some naan (store-bought, in my case) on the side.  (I found some naan at the Asian Market on the corner of Calhoun and Pontiac, $2.50 for 6 big pieces.  It was, ironically, made in Canada.)

The recipe calls for fresh chicken breast, but you could probably use pre-cooked chicken, if you add it at the very end with the butter.  I've never actually tried it that way, though.  This time I used dark thigh meat, which just wasn't as good as the white meat--it was almost too rich.  As far as the other ingredients, fresh ginger keeps for a long time if you freeze it; I bought mine for $2 a pound at one of the Asian markets.  Garam masala is a blend of various spices used frequently in Indian cooking.  There are lots of recipes online if you want to make your own garam masala, but since most of them call for a lot of unusual spices, I usually just buy it pre-made.  McCormick's Gourmet Collection is probably the best deal you can find at Meijer, but next time I'm going to try one of the Asian stores.

Indian Butter Chicken
Serves 5-6
Time:  50-60 minutes

1 onion, chopped
2 T. grated or minced fresh ginger
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 T. vegetable oil
3 tsp. garam masala
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste, minus 2 T. (freeze the extra for those annoying recipes that only call for 1 or 2 T.)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half-and-half (whole milk works too)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (1/2" or smaller)
1/2 tsp. coarse-ground black pepper
salt
1/4 cup butter
hot cooked rice and/or naan
lime wedges (optional)

In a large, deep pot, combine onion, ginger, jalapeno, and oil.  Stir often over high heat until onion is browned (3-5 minutes).  Remove from heat; stir in garam masala.

Scrape mixture into blender; add paste and broth.  Blend until smooth.  (Or add paste and broth to aromatics in pot and use a stick/immersion blender to combine.)  Return mixture to pot, add cream, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until reduced to 3 cups (5-7 minutes).

Mix chicken with pepper and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Melt 1 T. butter over high heat in a separate pan; add chicken and cook until it is no longer pink on the surface.  Add chicken to sauce and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through (3-4 minutes).  Cut remaining 3 T. butter into chunks and stir into sauce until melted.

Serve over rice and/or with naan.  Squeeze with lime juice, if desired.

Asian Chicken Salad

I have been on a huge Asian cooking kick lately.  It all started when my husband and his friends discovered Mahnin Asian Restaurant on Calhoun--a little hole-in-the-wall Thai/Burmese place featuring all sorts of delicious and authentic (and cheap!) dishes.  Right across the street is an Asian market called, oddly enough, Asian Market.  (It's right on the corner of Calhoun and Pontiac, across from Finders Keepers.)  Stepping inside that place is like entering another world.  You can buy anything from fresh Thai basil and lemongrass to shrimp the size of lobsters.  It takes five minutes to pick one bottle of fish sauce out of the zillion they carry.  You have to step around fifty-pound bags of rice and piles of cooking equipment and Asian candy to get anywhere.  The air is full of unusual incense.  English is definitely not the most prevalent language.

I was hooked.  It's probably the biggest Asian market in that area (there are at least six or seven others within a mile down Calhoun), with a huge selection and very reasonable prices (at least half what you would pay at Meijer or Kroger).  If you're at all interested in Asian cooking, or even if you need to restock your soy sauce supply, I would definitely recommend checking it out.  And then stop into Mahnin for a glorious plate of Pad Thai or Pad Kra Pao (my husband's favorite).

So far most of the Asian recipes I've been trying at home have called for lots of unusual ingredients--items that you could never find at the co-op.  This salad is less authentic, but it still has a fresh, Asian-inspired flavor, and you can customize it to fit whatever you have on hand.  You can certainly substitute a ready-made Asian vinaigrette for the dressing, but I had all the ingredients on hand to make this one and I liked the end result.  I think the most essential ingredient in the dressing is sesame oil; it's $1.99 for a 7 oz. bottle at the Asian markets (more like $6 at Kroger).

I haven't included amounts for any of the salad ingredients--just prepare as much as you need.  I served everything in separate dishes, so everyone could build their own salad as desired.

Asian Chicken Salad
Time:  15-30 minutes

Vinaigrette (makes about 1/2 cup)
3 T. unseasoned rice or wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. honey (brown sugar would also work)
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger (optional)

Thoroughly whisk together all ingredients.

Salad
Romaine lettuce or spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
Cooked chicken, cooled and cut into strips (I used the Brakebush grilled chicken breasts; breaded chicken tenders might be good too)
Canned mandarin orange slices, drained
Carrots, grated or cut into matchsticks
Green onions, thinly sliced
Bean sprouts, rinsed well (optional--I had some on hand I needed to use up)
Chow mein noodles

Be creative!  Other ingredient options could include thinly sliced red onion, canned water chestnuts, shredded napa cabbage (in place of lettuce/spinach), sliced almonds, halved cherry tomatoes, or sliced mushrooms.

Spicy Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

My crock pot is the most forlorn member of my kitchen appliances.  I almost never get it out.  To be sure, the idea of throwing a bunch of ingredients together in the morning and coming home to a deliciously aromatic dinner in the evening is an appealing one.  There's one problem, though:  every crock pot recipe that I make tastes the same--like crock pot.  And I'd rather spend an extra half hour cooking a delicious stovetop dinner than eating something that tastes like it came out of, well, a crock pot.

I do have one recipe, though, that works every time and tastes delicious.  Unfortunately, you'll have to go to the real store to buy some uncooked chicken for this one.  I won't pay more than $2 a pound for boneless chicken; sometimes you can find fresh chicken on sale, but if all else fails, you can get frozen chicken at Aldi.  They have three-pound bags of boneless skinless breasts or thighs for $5.99.  I really can't think of a way to make Brakebush work in a crock pot.  If you've figured it out, let me know.

Anyway, these spicy sandwiches are brought to you by the same friend who introduced me to Rustic Herb Bread, so you know they've got to be good.  The ingredient list is short, and you really just dump everything into the slow cooker--there's no pre-cooking or chopping or anything that will force you to get up a half hour early to get it ready.

P.S.  If you have a good co-op worthy crock pot recipe that you'd like to share, I'd love to try it out.  Just use the "Share!" button under "Submit a Recipe" on the right-hand side of the page.

Spicy Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Time:  4-6 hours
Serves about 6

4 uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thawed if necessary
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (or the generic equivalent)
2 T. vinegar
2 T. butter
Hamburger buns
Mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, and/or additional Frank's Red Hot, for serving

Combine first four ingredients in crock pot; slow cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken into the juice with a fork.  Serve on buns with mayo, blue cheese dressing, and/or Frank's Red Hot.

Chicken-Orzo Soup

I think my kitchen has been invaded by soup gnomes.  My recipe binder has a giant section of tasty soups, but no matter how quickly I add a new page, it gets filled right up with new recipes.  No matter what cookbook, magazine, blog, or website I read, some delicious soup jumps out at me and demands to be tasted.  Last fall I made soup almost every day for a month and I still didn't get through all of them.  But since 1. soup is amazing and 2. soup season lasts half the year or more, I've decided it's a good problem to have.  So I went ahead and tried this one.

I found some orzo at the co-op a while ago, so I followed the recipe pretty closely.  I think it would work fine with that tiny star-shaped pasta that has been hogging the shelf for the past couple of weeks, though.  Of course, I used Brakebush chicken (the plain, non-breaded kind), and I had some fresh parsley left over from my stuffed peppers, so I used that too.  The result: a pretty simple chicken noodle soup with a twist.  I will probably be making this again; that is, once I get through the ten other new soup recipes waiting in line.

Chicken-Orzo Soup
Time:  45 minutes to 1 hour
Serves 4

4 cups (32 oz.) chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked orzo or stelline
2 tsp. olive oil
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, diced
3/4 pound plain, non-breaded Brakebush chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups water (add 1 cup more if you like a thinner soup)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
4 cups spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 T. fresh lemon juice
salt
black pepper

1.  Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add orzo or stelline; cook 10 minutes or until done.  Set aside.

2.  While pasta cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add chicken and cook 1 minute.  Stir in remaining 2 1/4 cups broth, 1 1/4 cups water, parsley, and thyme; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add orzo, spinach, juice, and salt and pepper to taste; simmer 1 minute.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Bake

It might take a couple of weeks, but you should be able to get just about everything for this recipe from the co-op (except the parmesan and basil, which I always have on hand anyway).  The original recipe calls for fresh chicken breasts, but my co-op version uses the plain, non-breaded Brakebush chicken (either grilled or roasted).

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Bake
Total time:  45 minutes to 1 hour
Serves 4-6

1-1/2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked

1 pkg. (9-10 oz.) fresh spinach leaves

1 lb. non-breaded, plain Brakebush chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

dash seasoned salt 

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce

2 oz. cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (I use the dried kind from Aldi because I'm cheap, but go for the real stuff if you can afford it :)

1.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2.  Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding spinach to the boiling water for the last minute.
3.  Meanwhile, combine chicken, basil, and seasoned salt in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Stir in tomatoes and spaghetti sauce; bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low; stir in Neufchatel.
4.  Drain pasta and spinach mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella; pour into 3-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray.  (For a half recipe, I use an 8-inch square dish).  Bake 20 min. or until heated through; top with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.