Cauliflower Salad, Chicken and Rice Casserole

Happy Poceno Ladies! I love you all!

I have been in a Ladies club for over 20 years. We meet once a month and play a game called Poceno.  It is a combination of poker and Bingo.  But, over the years we have changed the rules a litttle and we think our version is way more fun than the original.  We play a game called the Boob and the first nipple off gets a point and then the first one that gets all of the chips off gets 2 points.  We even have a game representing a male part, but i 'm not going into details on that one. Some of the ladies have been in this group over 30 years.  Some of us have had our moms in the group.  Over the years we have been saddened by the loss "The Joy Luck Club"of some of our best friends, but the rest of us stick by each other through happy times and sad times. I have always thought of us being like the ladies in the movie,  "The Joy Luck Club".  We get toghether at another members home and have dinner, drinks and just plain old FUN!  Well, My month this year was June.  I served a delicious Cauliflower salad, Chicken & Rice Casserole, corn muffins, cupcakes and vodka and grapefruit juice.  I am going to share the salad and casserole recipe here.  I didn't get photo's of them, so you are just going to have to take my word that both were delicious.  The cupcake recipe is on my blog already.  It is the Magnolia Bakery recipe.

CAULIFLOWER SALAD
This is delicious-I promise!
1 large head of Romaine lettuce or 1 large bag of pre washed lettuce.
1 head of cauliflower
approx. 1 cup of mayo
1 small red onion, chopped
approx 2 TBS sugar
approx. 1 1/2 cup shredded parmasean cheese
1 small pkg of real bacon bits

If using a head of romaine lettuce, chop or pull apart by hand into small size pieces, and layer it into the bottom of a large bowl.  On top of the lettuce, place the chopped tops of the cauliflower.  The next layer is the red onion sprinkled on top of the cauliflower.  Then cover with a thin layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle sugar over the mayo. The last layer is the parmasean cheese.  Let it sit in the refrigerator over night.  Before serving, toss the entire salad and sprinkle the bacon bits on top.  So easy! So good!

Chicken and Rice Casserole
2 TBS butter
1 medium sweet onion
1 8.8oz Uncle Bens ready to serve  jasmine rice
3 cups of chopped rotissire chicken
1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup mayo
1 10 oz cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz can sliced waterchestnuts, drained
1 4oz jar sliced pimiento, drained
3 cups crushed ridged potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter and put in chopped onions and cook til tender.  Microwave rice according to package directions.  Combine onions, rice, chicken and next 6 ingredients.  Place in a 13x9 dish.  Top with chips and bake until bubbly. This is another easy, delicious dish!

Cooking Class/Creamy Chicken Beggar's Purse/Sauce Bernaise

Today my friend, Pam and I went to a wonderful cooking class at the Mary C. O'Keefe Museum in Ocean Springs, MS.  The class is by IP(Imperial Palace) Culinary Arts Cafe.  You can have a look here: www.themaryc.org/cafe.htm.  This was so much fun and the food was delicious. The Chef was cute and the wine was great!  It was really a wonderful day.

My lovely friend Pam and Chef Jeremy Williams

Creamy Chicken Begger's Purse

9 layers phyllo sheets cut into 4" squares

1/2 cup melted butter

One bunch blanched green onion(blanch in boiling water for 20 seconds and cut the white part off)

Using a pastry brush, brush each layer of phyllo and stack one on the top o the other, then cut all 9 layers  into 4" squares.

Chicken Mushroom Leek Filling

2 Tbs leeks, diced small

2 Tbs butter

1 chicken cutlet, diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp Tarragon

20 chives, for purses

pinch of creole seasoning

Preheat ocen to 350 degrees.  Saute the leeks and chicken in 1 TBS butter until translucent and cool in the frig.  Saute the mushrooms in the other tablespoon of butter.  Cook the mushrooms separate from the chicken.  When the mushrooms are cooked, fold them into the chicken along with the other ingredients.

Place about 1 TBS of chicken mixture in the middle of a square of phyllo; pull the edges up to form a begger's purse and tie with green onion that has been blanched.

Place the purses on a baking sheet and bake in oven for approx. 5 minutes.

Ready to go into the oven!

Oh I wish you could taste this! It was one of the best things I have ever tasted.  It was served on top of Sauce Bearnaise.

Sauce Bearnaise

1TBS minced shallots

2Tbs fresh Tarragon leaves, chopped, and their stalks, chopped and roughly bruised

2 TBS wine or Tarragon vinegar

1 TBS chopped chervil, optional

2TBS white wine

1 tsp peppercorns(preferably white), crushed or bruised

3 egg yolks

1TBS water

16 TBS unsalted butter, soft, cut into 1/2" dices

Salt

Freshly milled white or black pepper

1/ to 1/2 lemon , juiced

Combine vinegar, wine, shallots, black pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp tarragon in a small saucepan.       

Cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 TBS, 5-10 minutes.

Add egg yolks and 1 TBS of water to reduce vinegar mixture.

Whisk until thick and pale, about 2 minutes.

Set pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed reaching all over bottom and insides of pan, where eggs tend to overcook.

To moderate heat, frequently move pan off burner for a few seconds, then back on.

As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, then thicken.

When the bottom of the pan is visible in the streaks left by the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from heat.

By spoonfuls, add soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition.

As the emulsion forms, add butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed.

Continue incorporating butter until sauce has thickened to consistency desired.

Season with salt, remaining 1 1/2 tsp chopped tarragon and if desired, pepper.

Add a few droplets of lemon juice if necessary.

Fresh Tarragon

I will be back tomorrow with the dessert, it was lovely to look at and oh so good!

Plantation Chicken Pie

This is the best tasting Chicken Pie I have ever made!  My husband loved it and he is very picky about his Chicken Pie.   He had his mind made up before this was ready that he wouldn't like it.  But after one bite, he said make sure you keep up with this recipe because I will be wanting it again!

Ingredients

3 lbs boiled chicken breasts

3 cans of cream soup-celery, chicken, or mushroom(or combination of 1 each)

2cans Veg All

2 Sleeves of Ritz Crackers Crushed

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup half and half

1 cup sour cream

1cup red sodium chicken broth

1/2tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp granulated garlic(I got mine from Penzey's Spices) http://www.penzeys.com/

 Shred the boiled chicken breasts and place in a 9x13 pan.  Mix the 2 cans of Veg All, Three cans of soup, sour cream, half and half, chicken broth, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.  Pour over the chicken breasts.  Pour the crushed Ritz crackers over the mixture evenly.  Pour the melted butter over the crackers evenly.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until evenly browned. Makes approximately 8 servings.

White Barbecue Chicken Breast Sandwich

Ingredients

5 lbs split chicken Breasts

2 cups mayonnaise

6 tbs white vinegar

3 Tbs Horseradish (i got mine here: http://www.penzeys.com/ )

2Tbs water

4Tbs lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika  http://www.penzeys.com/

Hoagie Rolls

Pepper Jack Cheese

Butter

Place the Chicken Breasts in a large pot and cover with water.  Boil until the chicken is falling off the bones.  Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool.  Once it is cool, shred  it into small pieces.  In a medium size bowl, mix the mayonnaise, White vinegar, Horseradish, salt, black pepper, paprika and lemon juice.  Pour over the shredded chicken, (reserve 1/4 cup sauce for dipping) and mix well.  Butter the bread and place the chicken and pepper Jack cheese on the bread.  Place in a sandwich press for a few minutes (just until the cheese is melted). Add plenty of cheese, as it seemed to disappear on the grilled sandwich.

Buffalo Chicken Dip-

Today we are celebrating several January Birthdays at work and a bunch of folks are bringing a dish to celebrate.  Since the dip went over so well for Jamie's Birthday I am making it again.  If you haven't tried this yet, then you must.  It is delicious!  Here is the link to my  recipe Happy Birthday Jamie!  I want to wish Dr. Smith,  Dsha, Dr. Leatherman, Dr. Pisciotta, Chuck and Monica a Very Very Happy Birthday! Eat my friends and be Happy!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Recipe courtesy Aaron McCargo,Jr and can be found here:http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 quarts water

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, split

1 TBS bouillon flavoring

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup small white onion, diced (1/4 cup)

2 stalks celery (1/2cup), diced

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons italian seasoning

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup heavy cream

pinch of sea salt

1 store bought pie crust

Directions

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water.  Set aside.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to poach; about 8-10 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a plate to cool.  Continue to simmer the broth, adding the bouillon until reduced by half, about 10 more minutes.  Dice the chicken when cooled.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and the celery cooking until translucent, 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a roux.  Add the Italian seasoning and pepper; cook for 3 minutes.

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring back to a boil.  Drain the potatoes.  Add the potatoes and the chicken to the broth over low heat.  Stir in the frozen vegetables.  Place a lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 minutes more.

Preheat the oven as directed on the pie crust package.

Lay the pie crust on a baking sheet and place into the oven.  Cook according to package instructions, or until the pie crust is golden brown.  When the crust has cooled, break up into pieces.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the pie crust.

  I will certainly make this again.  It was delicious!

Happy Birthday Jamie!

I work with a dear lady named Jamie and today we are celebrating her Birthday.  We are buying her an ice cream cake from Marble Slab Creamery and several of us are bringing a dish from home.  I made Buffalo Chicken dip.  There are many recipes out there for this , but I have concocted my own.  I doubled the recipe so it makes a large batch.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 Rotisserie Chcikens from the Grocery store(I used Traditional flavor)
2 6 oz pkgs cream cheese
4 cups shredded mozzerella
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
4 large stalks of celery, chopped small
2 Tbs butter
3/4 jar of Franks Hot sauce-the large jar
1small jar Ranch dressing
1/4 jar of Blue Cheese Dressing.
Pull meat off the bones and discard the skin.  Saute onion and celery in butter until tender.  Mix remaining ingredients, put in a casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

I have heard this called "Crack Dip" and now I know why.  It is hard to stop eating once you get started.  My daughter had made a version of this for Christmas and I loved it.  Her recipe did not saute the onion and celery and she used colby and jack cheese.  Hers was really good, but I think mine is better! Sorry Maegan.  Some folks may prefer to use all Blue Cheese Dressing and crumbled blue cheese. But, I am just not a big fan of Blue Cheese.  This dip would make  great "Game Day" food.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE! I hope you a most Wonderful Day!