Chicken Pot Pie made with LOVE

Came home from work very late yesterday. I kept insisting to my husband that they should start eating dinner with out me and they kept waiting. Finally when I didn't arrive by 8pm, they ate but first T sent me a picture of the chicken pot pie he made from scratch before he and our daughter cut into it.

It has T heart M & M on it, isn't that sweet!

Great Brisket Recipe

I wanted to share a new discovery for cooking brisket, Woody's Cookin' Sauce. You can find this at your local grocery store. The jar is in the BBQ sauce section and it's about $5 a jar.

My friend Kristi's mother has used this sauce for years. I have always used a cousin's marinade recipe that called for 15 different ingredients, well this is so much easier and the taste is just as delicious.

.

We've used this for our last two cookouts and it's been great. I highly recommend this. Here's the recipe from their website. I was shocked to find this is not a Texas Product.

-

Pasta anyone?

I spent the majority of Saturday at one of the local Dillard's stores demonstrating KitchenAid products.

One of the items I demoed was the pasta roller attachment for the stand mixer.

Has anyone out there ever made their own pasta? I had never made any before my KA days but it's super easy and fun and to be honest I find it therapuedic. It's a project you can involve the whole family in.

.
I typically make the dough using the Basic Egg Pasta recipe found on page 9 of the Pasta Roller & Cutter Set Use and Care Guide but recently KitchenAid partnered up with Ecco La Pasta, a company out of Wisconsin. They sell specialty mixes that are super easy and fabulous. The owner of the company Peter Robertson actually came to speak to us at one of our training sessions last year- he's like a pasta guru and very entertaining.

.

You can find Ecco La Pasta at many speciality stores or you can purchase online... their website has some great recipes, check it out.

.

You can find the Pasta Roller Attachment at most local retailers, KitchenAid.com actually sells a Pasta Culinary Kit that includes:

• KitchenAid® Pasta Roller Attachment for Stand Mixer


• KitchenAid® Fettuccine Cutter Attachment for Stand Mixer


• One Black KitchenAid® Nylon Pasta Server


• One Black KitchenAid® Nylon Slotted Spoon


• One Ecco La Pasta® Egg Pasta Mix


• One Ecco La Pasta® Spinach Pasta Mix

Buzzard Casserole

This is a really good casserole that I make often. A couple of years ago, I made it for my Witch Party and all of the witches in attendance love it. I can't seem to find the original normal version, so in the spirit of Halloween, here it is in all its gory! Don't let the name fool you, honestly--- it's really good.

Psst... Pesto anyone?

One of the perks of being a KitchenAid product specialist is getting the opportunity to try new recipes as I demonstrate the appliances. Everyone knows the KichenAid Mixer is fabulous but not many know about all the different attachmentments that are available.


.
Pesto is usually made in a food processor, but you can also use the food grinder attachment for your mixer.
.

This recipe is pretty easy and delicious. The best thing is that it does not call for pine nuts which can be a concern to folks with alergies. I got wonderful reviews when I demonstrated and served this at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Williams Sonoma and Dillards. Everyone loved it!

Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup parsley sprigs
8 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil

Assemble food grinder using fine grinder plate and attach to mixer. Turn to speed 4 and grind basil leaves, parsley springs and garlic into mixer bowl. Add salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Attach bowl and wire whip. Turn to speed 6 and whip 1 minute. Stop and scrap bowl. Turn to Speed 8 and gradually add olive oil in thin, steady stream whipping until absorbed.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

St. Louis or Bust!

This weekend we are headed to St. Louis for Troy's family reunion. Troy comes from a very large family, his mother is one of seven and when everyone gets together -- it's a large crowd. There are more than thirty first cousins alone! I am excited, since most of the family members we haven't seen since the last reunion two years ago.

.

.

We are driving, yes you read right, we are driving. Wish us a safe journey. We've got our inventory of DVD's, toys and books already packed. I know I will be spending most of the trip in the back seat keeping Micaela entertained and happy in her car seat during the 10+ hour drive.

.

.

Once we arrive everything will be okay but until then, I am praying!

.

.

At the reunion, Micaela, our daughter will get to spend time with her five cousins that are her age. (There was six of us pregnant in the family at the same time two years ago). All six babies were born in a ten week span. Here are five of the six babies two years ago when they were between 2-4 months old. Micaela is the second one from the left, wearing yellow.

It was a challenge to get all the babies to look the same direction, let alone smile. In the end, this was the best picture. I can't wait to see what pictures we take this weekend.

Family reunions make me think of pasta salads. So here's one of my favorite recipes from one of my best resources-- Betty Crocker. You all have a safe Labor Day weekend! I gotta get packed-- see ya next week!

Dijon Chicken and Pasta Salad

1 package Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad®

classic pasta salad mix
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup cubed cooked chicken

Fill 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of water. Heat to boiling. Add contents of Pasta-Vegetable pouch to boiling water. Gently boil about 12 minutes or until pasta is tender; drain. Rinse with cold water until chilled; drain.

Stir together Seasoning mix, oil, water and mustard in large bowl. Stir in pasta-vegetable mixture. Stir in chicken. Toss with Parmesan Topping. Refrigerate any remaining salad.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This is one of our other favorite chicken recipes. I noticed the recipe on the Bisquick box one morning when I was making pancakes back when I was pregnant. We've been making it ever since!




Parmesan Crusted Chicken

2/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt or Garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 450ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

There is a lighter version of the recipe on www.bettycrocker.com

Terrific Chicken!

This is our new favorite seasoning for chicken. Just add olive oil, water and balsamic vinegar. We absolutely love it. You get best results when you let the chicken marinade over night in a zip lock bag. We've served it for guests several times and everyone raves. Try it, you will love it too!.