Sweet & Savory ~~ Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta

Here's another full guest table entree pleaser for your holiday meal planning which will serve a dozen people, if need be.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR STEP 1:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. diced garlic
• Olive oil
• Garlic Pepper
• Parmesan cheese

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Saute garlic in olive oil until tender. 
• Lightly brown chicken breasts on both sides, sprinkling with Garlic Pepper during process.  
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on both sides.
•  Let chicken rest and cool for 10 minutes.
• Cut into bite size pieces.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR STEP 2:

• 2 cans Cream of Celery Soup
• Milk or water
• 1 Tbsp. diced garlic
• 1 small jar diced Pimentos
• 2 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used Cajun Sunsine)
• 2  small cans sliced water chestnuts
• Garlic Herb bread crumbs or flavor of your choice
• 2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups dried Penne pasta noodles, cooked according to package directions, and thoroughly drained

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the soup with 2 soup cans of milk or water, whatever you choose to use.
• Add the garlic, hot sauce, pimentos, and water chestnuts.
• Stir until combined.

ASSEMBLY & COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place one-half of cooked chicken into bottom of greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  (I prefer to use a glass pan for this recipe).
• Add one half of cooked Penne pasta noodles
• Pour one half of soup mixture over top.
• Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese on top.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over mixture.
• Repeat above steps.
• Place sheet of aluminum foil lightly over entree, but do not fold foil down onto the sides of the baking pan. This will prevent noodles from drying out during the initial baking stage.
• Bake for 35-35 minutes in 350 degree oven.
• Remove foil for the last 10-15 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with bread, rolls, or crackers.
• A garden salad is a nice accompaniment.
• Consider pairing this recipe with a little cup of soup.  My Broccoli Cheddar Soup would be a great suggestion. Stay tuned as I plan on floating out this recipe later in the month.

Bravo to all of my fellow cooks and chefs out there in Holiday Land.  Cook on! Your friends, family, and comrades will love you all the more.  

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Sweet & Savory - Terrific Turkey Pot Pie

Are you looking for some great ideas of what to do with that leftover turkey from holiday meals?  Well, here is one answer for you!  This turkey pot pie is sure to please your dinner guests.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 can cut green beans, drained
• 3 cups cooked turkey, diced
• 2 cups cooked rice (I used long grain brown rice)
• 1 cup mayo (or yogurt if you desire less calories)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp. freshly ground salt, optional
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• a few drops hot sauce (I prefer to use Cajun Sunshine)
• two pie crusts for a 9-10 inch pie plate (you can make your own or purchase those pre-fab jobs in the refrigerator section of your local grocery store)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Saute onions and peppers in olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and mix thoroughly.
• Place bottom pie crust in pie plate.
• Spoon turkey mixture into pie plate.
• Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
• Place top pie crust over cheese and make 4-5 slits in crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until top crust is golden brown.

HELPFUL HINTS & SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• This pie is delicious served with turkey gravy.
• Serve with rolls or garlic bread and salad.
• This pie freezes well if you desire to make it ahead, place in freezer, and bake at a later date.

Happy Holiday Dining!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday - Holiday Baked Spaghetti

This is a great entree to serve to your holiday guests.  You can prepare it ahead of time, freeze it, and heat and serve, if necessary.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, diced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 bottle - 28 oz. to 30 oz. diced tomatoes, liquid included
• 1  - 4 oz. can sliced black olives
• 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp. freshly ground salt, optional
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
• 12 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked in 1/2 tsp. olive oil, and drained
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 - 10.75 oz. can Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large skillet or saucepan, lightly saute onion and garlic in olive oil.
• Add ground beef and brown until meat is cooked thoroughly, drain, and return to skillet or saucepan.
• Add tomatoes, olives, oregano flakes, salt (optional) and pepper.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Place 1/2 of the cooked noodles in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Top with half of the ground beef and tomato mixture.
• Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
• Repeat the above three layers.
• Mix the soup and water until thoroughly blended and pour over the top of the casserole mixture.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.
• Garnish with sliced olives.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
• Serves 12.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with green salad & garlic french bread.
• Follow up with your favorite dessert or browse my Sweet & Savory Blog Page for some great suggestions!

Happy Holiday Dining!

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Sweet & Savory Tuesday ~~ Pomegranate Pasta Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce or use fresh tomatoes from your garden
• 1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste or use fresh tomatoes from your garden
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 4 cloves diced garlic
• 2 medium sized onions 
• 1 - Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning or use fresh basil, oregano, and rosemary
• 1 - Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 - tsp. salt, optional
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Puree onions in food processor
• If you are using dried herbs for Italian seasoning, grind them in your mortar and pestle

• Combine all ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan
• Stir until smooth
• Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for at least 45 minutes. The longer you allow the sauce to simmer, the better the flavor will be.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with spaghetti noodles or pasta of your choice
• Pair with tossed green salad and garlic french bread

Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. For additional information, here is a link:

https://authoritynutrition.com/12-proven-benefits-of-pomegranate/

I have such fond childhood memories of my maternal grandmother, Lenna Grace, sending a box of yummy pomegranates to our family each year for Thanksgiving.  The area in which she lived was very conducive to growing ones with exceptional color and flavor.

If you happen to give this pasta sauce with a new twist a try, I would love to hear from you.  So would my blog readers!

Happy eating in Pomegranate's Presence.

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~ Fresh Fillet & Fresh Rosemary

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS:

• One large fillet of your choice ( I used Sockeye Salmon)
• Brush 1 Tbsp. of olive oil on top
• Sprinkle with dash of kosher salt, optional
• Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper
• Lay 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary on top 
• Place pan with one inch of water on bottom rack of oven
• Line baking sheet with foil
• Place seasoned fillet on baking sheet
• Cook at 225 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when using a fork

The oil from the fresh rosemary permeates the fillet which really helps to enhance the flavor.  

Another suggestion is to use fresh dill when cooking your fish in the oven.

If you have other suggestions of cooking methods for fish or enhancing it with herbs, please leave a comment.  We enjoy hearing from our readers.

• Check out the health benefits of eating salmon at http://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/seven-health-benefits-of-salmon-and-a-vitamin-rich-summer-recipe/

Happy Eating & Herbing!

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Sweet & Savory Tuesday - Presto with the Pesto!

                                                        


INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
• Dash of kosher salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:

• When selecting fresh basil, make sure to remove any seed pods which have formed in the very top of the plant

• Place basil leaves inside food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped
• Add the garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan Cheese
• Process until smooth

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Prepare noodles (I used spelt noodles, but spinach noodles would be delicious as well), and serve with Pesto

• Pesto is great on pizza crusts, slices of baguette bread or fresh tomatoes, crackers, mixed with sour cream to be used as a veggie dip, and on rolls the herbal river.
• Pesto can be frozen and eaten at a later date.

If you have other serving suggestions, I would like to hear from you!  Please leave a comment.  We enjoy hearing from our blog readers.

Happy Dining & Enjoy the herbs of summer!

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Sweet & Savory Friday ~~ 4th of July Spread

INGREDIENTS:

• Two 15-0z. cans Cannellini Beans
• Two Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Two Tbsp. diced garlic
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup Boar's Head Horseradish Sauce
• 1 tsp. freshly ground kosher salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:

• Rinse beans thoroughly with water and drain in colander
• Place inside food processor
• Add all other ingredients
• Blend until smooth

Serve with crackers, bread, or condiments of your choice.  I used three grain sweet potato crackers, tomatoes, and greens.

If you are looking for a different spread for your Fourth of July spread, try this one!  It's delish!

Happy Dining & Happy 4th!

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Sweet & Savory Tuesday ~~ Zesty Cod Fillets

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. diced garlic
• 2 - 6 oz. cod fillets
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:

• Saute garlic in olive oil.
• Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper.
• Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
• Pour one Tbsp. of the lime juice over fillets.
• Mix cumin and chili powder together and sprinkle 1/2 of mixture over fillets.
• Cook 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
• Flip fillets to other side and pour remaining lime juice over fillets.
• Sprinkle remaining cumin and chili powder mixture on top of fillets.
• Cook 2-3 minutes or until cod fillets flake easily.
• Serve over rice and with garnishes of your choice.  I used sliced tomatoes, red bell pepper slices, and sliced hard boil eggs dusted with hot Hungarian paprika.

Sometimes it's a great adventure and lots of fun to experiment with new spice combinations when preparing your entree, especially fish!

Happy dining, and if you happen to try this recipe, please comment on my blog page and let me know how you liked it or what garnishes you used to complete your entree. Thank you.

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Breakfast In A Pint Jar

                                                   
                                                          BREAKFAST IN A PINT JAR


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats - non instant variety
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
• cut up fruit of your choice such as 5 prunes
• additional 1/4 cup fruit such as blueberries
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 3/4 cup water OR 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

• Stir the oatmeal, cinnamon, and chia seeds together in bottom of jar.
• Layer the remainder of the ingredients in pint jar in above-listed order.
• Stir all ingredients inside jar before placing in refrigerator in order to get the olive oil thoroughly mixed into the other ingredients.
• Refrigerate overnight.

HELPFUL HINTS & SUGGESTIONS:

• The chia seeds will expand a little bit during the refrigeration process.
• You won't be able to taste the olive oil when eating this oatmeal concoction.
• It is usually the perfect consistency when you open the jar the next morning and prepare to eat your breakfast.
• The oatmeal does its magic inside the pint jar overnight in the refrigerator as it absorbs either the milk or the water.

The above picture reflects what the refrigerated mixture looks like the next morning when you prepare to enjoy your breakfast!

This recipe is taken from the official Sheila Fabulous Collection.

Happy Reading & Healthy Eating!

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Sweet & Savory Friday ~~ Lime Cod with Veggie Medley

STEP 1:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2  medium onions cut into 1/2 moons
• 11/2 cups celery sticks
• 11/2 cups small carrots
• 2 lime wedges
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

STEP 2:

DIRECTIONS:

• Place above listed ingredients in saucepan and cook in enough water until tender.

STEP 3:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cod fillets (6 oz. size approximately)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Crazy Jane's Mixed Up Salt, optional
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram 
• 2 lime slices 

STEP 4:

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat olive oil in fry pan over medium heat
• Sprinkle fillets with Crazy Jane's Mixed Up Salt & marjoram
• Cook 6-8 minutes on each side or until the cod fillets flake apart easily
• Do not overcook or cod will become rubbery
• Squeeze fresh lime slices over cooked cod

Serve with either cooked rice, noodles, or quinoa along with the cooked veggies.

Enjoy!

Happy Eating & Reading.

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Sweet & Savory Thursday: Humdinger Hummus

So is the Chickpea or Garbanzo Bean actually a bean, a pea, or a fruit?  All I know is that it is beyond delicious and does not come from a chicken!  J

               

Sheila’s Humdinger Hummus

• 2 – 15 oz. cans Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
• 2 -  heaping Tbsp. minced garlic
• 3 -  Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 -  Tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 –  tsp. cumin
• ¼   cup water
• 2 – tsp. freshly ground kosher salt, optional
• 2 – Tbsp. hot sauce (I prefer Cajun Sunshine)
• Dust with Hot Hungarian Paprika

Directions:

• Rinse Chickpeas in colander.
• Place all ingredients except paprika inside food processor and blend until smooth.

This scrumptious concoction can be spread on crackers, pizza dough, bread, or veggies.  It can also be added to salads, hamburger patties, or thinned into a sauce to use when preparing other dishes such as hummus and spaghetti noodles.

Question:  What other suggestions do you have for ways in which to prepare or serve hummus? I would enjoy hearing from you.

Happy Reading & Eating!

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