Chicken and Rice Soup with Beer Bread

Tonight I decided to go ahead and make the soup from last night's leftover chicken bones. Yesterday I made the stock and stuck it in the fridge, then today I browned a chicken breast, boiled some brown rice, and threw it all together with some cumin, coriander, and chili powder. On the side I made my Aunt Faye's recipe for Beer Bread and chopped broccoli from the freezer.

The verdict

The soup was a great way to stretch another meal out of some leftovers. If I do this again, I'll cook the chicken breast like I would for tacos to give it more kick. I had to add an awful lot of spice to make it interesting, and it was still only moderately so. The beer bread was excellent as usual, although I realized that this meal would also go great with homemade tortilla chips. This bread is what I make when I decide I want bread with my meal less than three hours before dinnertime, because it doesn't require any time to rise. I give this meal 3 and a half stars for taste and 3 stars for health.

Soft Chicken Tacos

Tonight I tried the recipe my mom posted while ago, soft chicken tacos. They were made in the crockpot, and were put together with refried beans, sour cream (for me), and cheddar cheese. Instead of green chiles like the recipe calls for (yuck!), I put in a can of corn. On the side we have pole beans.

The verdict
These were excellent. I ended up freezing the rest of the meat so I can pull it out the next time I don't feel like doing much. I also cooked down the bones into a broth, so look for a soup soon. This recipe was kind of involved, which I wouldn't usually mind, but Mike and I have had a loooooong weekend. His semester is ending right now, so he's been working hard on that. The pole beans were stringy, which I've never happen before. Weird. I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 4 stars for health.

CrockPot Chicken

Last night I started to make a chicken and potato casserole, then realized that I used all the potatoes the night before to make the mashed potatoes. Crap...crap...crap. After perusing my recipes to find something else I had all the ingredients for, I found a recipe I had forgotten about. It's made in the crockpot with beer and various Italian spices. I used to leftover mashed potatoes to make another mashed potato casserole, and on the side we have green beans.

The verdict
It was awful. Horrible. After I put everything together, I thought to myself, this really doesn't smell that great. At least we had the mashed potato casserole. I sprinkled a little garlic salt on the top and didn't put in as much sour cream, and I think it was better than last time. Too bad about the chicken, though. I guess everyone has to have a bad recipe once in awhile. I give this meal 1 star for taste and 3 stars for health. Sorry I didn't post last night, we went to church and I was just too tired.

Cheddar Meat Loaves

I got the recipe for the meat loaves from my mom's collection, who got it from a lady who posted in on a message board, who got it from a Taste of Home magzine years ago. It makes little individual meat loaves and features cheddar cheese and a glaze made of ketchup, brown sugar, and dijon mustard. I used ground chicken instead of beef. On the side we have mashed potatoes and steamed pole beans.

The verdict

The meatloaf was very good, but we couldn't taste the cheese - the glaze overpowered it. I think the next time I make meatloaf I'll just skip the cheese and use the same glaze. I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 2 and a half stars for health.

Cheeseburger in Paradise: A Jimmy Buffet Themed Meal

Disclaimer: unless you are familiar with Jimmy Buffet's music, this post will probably not make sense to you!

I felt that Mike and I needed a break from the monotony of studying, studying, and more studying, so we gave up trying to amend our carnivorous habits and had a Jimmy Buffet themed meal! First, we have the obvious: a cheeseburger with french-fried potatoes. For our greener pastures, we have steamed broccoli, and a frozen concoction (to help us hang on), blackberry-citrus margaritas. For dessert, a sensuous treat: leftover cherry pie for Mike and chocolate cake for me.

The verdict

This meal was so much fun! The burgers were heaven on earth with an onion slice! If I get any more good theme ideas, I'll try those too (I'm open to suggestions!) I give this meal 5 coconuts for taste, 3 and a half shark fins for health, and 5 sons of a sailor for creativity. Until next time, Mike and I will just be two Parrotheads trying to reason with hurricane season...

Bean Burritos, Vol. II

I had a bean burrito from the freezer for lunch today, and it turned out really tasty. I wasn't going to have one, but I was sitting at the computer studying, and I just kept thinking about them and thinking about them... Seriously, you've got to try these! They put Taco Bell to shame. I'm excited that I've found an alternative to keeping prepared food in the freezer.

Desserts for lifegroup

Our church small group met tonight, and I got to make the desserts. I love when they let me do it! I decided to make another cherry pie, using the same recipe as last time, but this time I used sweet cherries instead of black. I also cooked all of the cherries instead of just a portion of them, because Mike and I decided that it might be better this way. I used a lemon cookie crust and I thought it went very nicely with the cherry flavor.

The Oreo Cookie Cake turned out GREAT! The cherry pie was good, but this cake really took the, er, cake. It really reminded of a big oreo cookie. I was worried about this cake falling apart because the filling is very thick, but it turned out to be very sturdy. Everyone was scrambling for seconds!

We had dinner at lifegroup, and Danielle made two delicious lasagnas. I had never had a spinach lasagna before, but it was pretty darn good. Of course, with Mike not eating pasta, I'm glad to get any type of lasagna! Everyone seemed to really like the desserts!

Bean Burritos

Tonight I tried a new recipe, bean burritos. They feature pinto beans, onion, and garlic, with a healthy dose of jalepeno pepper thrown in. This recipe caught my eye because the burritos can be assembled and frozen, then reheated for later. On the side we have a fruit salad of apples, bananas, watermelon, kiwi, and sweet cherries.

The verdict
I found this recipe from a cooking magazine my mom gave me, and boy, am I glad I tore it out! This recipe was great, and the rest of the burritos are waiting in the freezer as an alternative to Hot Pockets. With the price of food going through the roof, I'm anxious to see if these reheat well so I can make some more and use them for lunches. The only thing was, it seemed like the amount of rice I made was not nearly enough compared to the bean mixture, so I've adjusted the recipe accordingly. Maybe because I used 10-min rice? Anywho, I give this meal 5 stars for taste and 4 stars for health.

Barbeque Beef Sandwiches

I finally bought hamburger buns yesterday, so I made something I've been meaning to for a long time: barbeque beef sandwichs in the crock pot. I used lean stew meat, and the sauce features ketchup, barbeque sauce, and beer. On the side we have fresh steamed broccoli.

The verdict
This meal is one I know will always be good! The beef is tangy and sweet, and this recipe is very easy to make. I had to reduce the amount of beer in the original recipe because the first time I made it, it was just too beer-y. I give this meal 3 and a half stars for taste and 3 stars for health.

Steak!

We were tired of chicken, so when I saw steak on sale at Winn-Dixie today, I knew what was for dinner! I seasoned the beef with Montreal Steak Seasoning, and threw some pole beans on the stove for a steam. I also used the leftover mashed potatoes (yes, mom , I actually had leftover potatoes!) to make a mashed potato casserole. I just mixed some sour cream into the potatoes and sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top, then popped it in the oven.

The verdict

Ahhh, beef! I try to make lots of chicken because it's healthier, but sometimes ya just gotta have cow! This cut was pretty lean, anyways. I just kinda made up the potato recipe, because I

growing up we NEVER had leftovers when mom made mashed potatoes! It turned out well, though. I think Mike was glad to finally get some red meat, because when I asked him what we should rate this meal for taste, he held up six fingers. I'm pretty sure the world would implode upon itself if I did that, though, so I'll give this meal 5 stars for taste and 3 and a half stars for health.

I rue techonology!

I finally fixed the glitch in my blog that wasn't allowing people to leave comments, so please, post your favorite recipe!

Cornish Game Hen

Tonight I decided to make Cornish Game Hen, mostly because we bought a six-pack of these things at Sam's Club a while back and they take up a lot of room in the freezer. I seasoned it with the Lemon Pepper Seasoning from Penzey's Spices (are we seeing a pattern here?) and kosher salt. I also made mashed potatoes and fresh broccoli, and we finished the meal with fresh fruit topped with whipped cream and the rest of the butter cake we had for the chocolate fondue a couple of nights ago.

The verdict

The Lemon Pepper Seasoning on the hen was awesome! You could still taste the lemon zest, thanks to the salt to bring out the flavor. It imparted flavor not only to the skin, but to the meat as well. I cooked the potatoes in the oven instead of on the stove and then mashed them, and I think they taste much better that way. I can't help but laugh whenever I make Cornish Game Hen because I never even knew what they were until I started dating Mike. On our first Valentine's Day together, I told him I would make whatever he wanted, and he said thoughtfully, "I think I'd like a Cornish Game Hen." I said, "Sure, sweetie" and promptly called my mom and said, "MOM, WHAT THE HECK IS A CORNISH GAME HEN!?!" I had never even made a whole chicken before, and here Mike is wanting me to cook a miniature one! But it turned out well, as did this meal. I give this meal 4 stars for taste and health.

Last night we went over to Jen and Scott's house to discuss my father-in-law's campaign website again, so we had pizza for dinner. Not that exciting, but very tasty.

Send me your recipes!
One thing I realized by not having to cook last night was that I am BORED with my recipes. I was really excited over the prospect of not having to plan dinner, the keyword being plan. I still like to cook, but I think I'm in a recipe rut. Sooooooo....help me out here! Post a comment on this blog and give me your favorite recipe, or email me at Crackerjacki1@aol.com. It would be especially helpful to get some more recipes featuring boneless, skinless chicken breasts or ways to turn really cheap cuts of red meat into something tasty. Thanks guys!

Sauteed Chicken

Tonight I tried a recipe from the Penzey's Spices catalog, Sauteed Chicken. It's made with white wine, garlic, and lots of onion. On the side we have steamed fresh broccoli and brown rice, cooked in leftover vegetable broth from when I made the bean soup.

The verdict

This chicken was excellent! I really enjoyed the combination of onion and white wine. The rice was also very good, due to the veggie broth. I put waaay too much Lemon Pepper Seasoning on the broccoli, this new stuff I got is much stronger than the cheap stuff! I give this meal 4 and a half stars for taste and 5 stars for health.

Fondue: Cheddar-Swiss and Chocolate Sour Cream

Tonight we had our friends Jen and Scott over for dinner. Scott is doing the website for my father in laws' campaign, so they had to discuss the details of that, and Jen wanted to look at my wedding album. I decided to do something simple, but elegant: Cheddar-Swiss Fondue and Chocolate Sour Cream Fondue. For the cheese fondue, I had a cut-up baguette, carrots, celery, and apples. For the chocolate, we had marshmallows, pound cake, strawberries, and pineapple. However, I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE! GARRR!

The verdict

This was very good! I love fondue. The cheese is so good, I never make hot oil to cook meat in. I had never made the chocolate sour-cream fondue before, but it was very good - very mellow. I give this meal 5 stars for taste and 2 stars for health.

Chicken Meatball Subs

For today's dinner I pulled some ground chicken from the freezer, mixed it with bread crumbs, and shaped them into meatballs. Then I fried them lightly in canola oil and kept them warm in spaghetti sauce. I also made the french bread we used for the sub rolls; the dough was made in the bread maker, then baked in the oven. On the side we have a spinach salad.

The verdict

I would never have known the meatballs were made from chicken if I hadn't made them myself. Since I discovered ground chicken I've been going crazy cooking up new ways to use it in place of red meat. The bread was a little hard to handle, we had meatballs flying all over the place! Overall, I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 4 and a half stars for health.

Fifteen-Bean Soup with Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Tonight I felt like making something other than beef or chicken, so I decided on a 15-bean soup mix. I wanted something flavorful to go with it, so I made the copycat recipe for Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits. On the side we have fresh green beans seasoned with a Lemon Pepper Seasoning from Penzey's Spices.

The verdict

The bean soup was good, but I was glad to have the biscuits to jazz up the meal. I used my homemade all-purpose baking mix instead of Bisquick, and I think it was much better. The Lemon Pepper spice was really good on the beans, I've never been anything but pleased with stuff I've tried from Penzey's. I give this meal 3 and a half stars for taste and health.

Garlic-Lime Chicken

Tonight I tried a recipe I've been meaning to make for a long time. I got the Garlic-Lime Chicken recipe from the Saving Dinner newsletter, which is put out by the wonderful people at The Dollar Stretcher. I also made mashed potatoes and a spinach salad. After dinner, Mike and I went to Blockbuster to rent Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (go ahead, call us dorks, we don't care!) and when we got back I made a smoothie from fresh pineapple and mango, frozen blueberries, and orange juice.

The verdict

The chicken was very good, but very strong! I ended up scraping most of the spices off and was very satisfied, but Mike seemed to like it the way it was. I'm always happy when I find a flavorful way to make boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The smoothie was awesome! I've made smoothies before, but I could never seem to make them quite as good as the ones they charge you four bucks for at those hippie places. The pineapple and mango that went into it were good to begin with; Mike told me at Sam's today that the secret to picking a good pineapple is to get one with a small top, and apparently he was right, because this was one darn good smoothie! I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 3 and a half stars for health.

Pot Roast

This dinner is the result of my complete lack of creativity and being short on time. I did a lot of school work today, and looked at the clock at 5:00 and realized I had done nothing to plan dinner! Gah!! So I pulled a underblade chuck roast out of the freezer and stuck it in the microwave while Mike chopped up potatoes and onions and I threw a can of cream of mushroom soup and a packet of Italian Dressing mix in the Crock Pot. We also had some fresh green beans, which steamed while we scrambled to get ready for church.

The verdict

This meal turned out pretty good, for putting practically no effort into it! I had never tried putting the Italian Dressing mix in, and I probably won't again because realized too late that this pot roast has a LOT of salt in it, between the soup and the mix. I think my Crock Pot is getting a little old. In fact, I know it's old because it was a wedding gift for my in-laws when they got married, which was 29 years ago. Anywho, I think the heat distribution is getting a little funky in that thing, because some of the potatoes weren't done. I give this meal 2 and a half stars for taste and health.

Jacki's Favorite Chocolate Cake

This time the cake didn't turn out that pretty this time, but it was still delicious. The cake itself is very rich and moist; the hot coffee that is added to the batter does this (you can't taste it once it's baked). The icing is exquisite - very light and fluffy, pairing well with the cake. You've got to try this cake!

No posts for two days!!

Thursday night Mike and I went to a social at the Swamp Restaurant for his graduate program. They had food there, so no need to cook dinner. They also had free beer, which explains why nearly everyone in the program came. Then yesterday night we went to Fanning Springs to visit our good friend Aaron Doll and his family, and we feasted on ribs, crab, corn, a yummy broccoli casserole that I plan on making as soon as I get the recipe, and green beans. I made Jacki's Favorite Chocolate Cake to share, and I'll post the picture I took of it before it cracked soon.

Cuban Mojo Chicken

Tonight we had Cuban Mojo Chicken with black beans. I also made some white rice and an awesome fruit salad with apples, bananas, strawberries, black cherries, and mango (is the plural form of mango mangos?)

The verdict

I am very proud of this recipe. It's the first one I've found all by myself that is good enough to make for my mom. And that's saying something! It's a great low-fat recipe, with plenty of flavor and zest. Paired with the black beans, rice, and tropical fruit salad, this meal took me back to Costa Rica. I give this meal 5 stars for taste and health! Woohoo!

Chicken Fingers & Fries with a side of Broccoli

Greetings Fans of Jacki's Blog!
This is your favorite friend's husband Mike. Jacki wasn't feeling so hot today so I decided to make dinner and you get to see my handiwork. What you have here is a quick and EASY meal of baked chicken fingers, hand-cut oven fries, and steamed broccoli with melted cheese. I adlibed a little with the chicken finger recipe, just to see how it would turn out. I think it turned out pretty well. In the taste department we voted a 4, with a health factor of 2.5 (butter kinda does that). I will now return you to your regularly schedules blog updates.

Garlic Chicken Adobo with Mike's Fried Potato Slices

I've been meaning to try this recipe for a long time, as Mike and I are both big garlic lovers. Garlic Chicken Adobo is a Filipino dish that uses soy sauce, vinegar, and lots of garlic. I meant to serve it with rice, but I soon discovered we were out of rice. So, I thought that black beans would go nicely with this dish...but we were out of those, too! Garrr! That's when Mike offered to make a potato dish, which I gratefully accepted. He sliced Idaho potatoes thinly and fried them in canola oil. On the side we have fresh broccoli.

The verdict

This recipe was good, but a little salty. If I make it again, I think I'll cut down on the soy sauce. The potatoes were great! I had no idea Mike was so adept at frying. I give this meal 3 and a half stars for taste and 2 stars for health.

Last night Mike and I drove to the Outback Crab Shack north of Palatka to see Mike's family over dinner and take a picture for my father in laws' campaign as circuit court judge. We got there a bit late due to some discrepancies about which road goes where, so when we got there we hurridly decided to split some kettle-boiled shrimp and a vegetable plate. I thought, not too bad, right? Boiled shrimp with a plate full of vegetables! Well, when we got the food, guess what was the most abundant vegetable on the plate...SAUSAGE! Since when is polish sausage a vegetable? LOL...I love the southern definition of health food sometimes. It was still enough for both of us, though, and there were some boiled new potatoes and broccoli among all that pig meat. Live and learn! Or at least live...

Stromboli

Today we had one of my mom's classic recipes. I remember looking forward to stromboli as a child. I don't make it exactly the way she made it though, I've made several changes in an attempt to make it healthier. First, I use a recipe for half whole-wheat half white pizza dough. Then I wrapped the pepperoni in a paper towl and microwaved them for 15 seconds - I couldn't believe how much grease was absorbed! To round out the meal we have a green salad.

The verdict

This meal is always good! I liked the crust, it has just enough whole wheat flour to lend a nutty flavor and take the edge off your guilt for consuming so much cheese! I hardly ever put ground beef in my stromboli because I hate browning it on the stove, but I decided to try doing it in the microwave - and it worked! So much easier! I give this meal 4 and a half stars for taste and 3 and a half stars for health.

Surf and Surf

Today I went with Mike to Ocala to visit horse farms, and on the way back we stopped at Publix to pick up some fish for dinner. When we got to the seafood section, shrimp was on sale, and I told Mike I couldn't decide between the salmon steaks or the shrimp. His response? "Why choose?!" Thus tonight we had "surf and surf" for dinner. We grilled both with a lemon-butter sauce, and threw ears of corn on there, too. We also had some fresh broccoli, and to continue my fruit kick, another fruit salad.

The verdict

I like fish, we don't have it that often. I think it's because I much prefer the thick steak cuts, which are more expensive. This meal was very good; lots of different tastes! I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 5 stars for health.

Grilled Beef Packets

Tonight I took a hint from Mike's Eagle Scouting days and made meat packets for the grill. I chopped an underblade chuck roast and wrapped it in two layers of foil with red potatoes, carrots, and onion. Mike threw this on the grill while I made a green salad. Then I realized we have so much fresh, pretty fruit in the house, I decided we were going to have a fruit salad as well.

The verdict

Although grilling doesn't compare to doing these in a campfire, they were pretty darn good. I forgot I bought this meat for using in the Crock Pot (read: it was cheap). The juices from the veggies helped with the toughness of the beef, though. The fruit salad was very good, I love when fruit comes into season and gets cheap! I give this meal 3 and a half stars for taste and 4 and a half stars for health.

Grandaddy's July "Installment"

Every month I send a box of baked goods to Mike's grandfather, who lives in Valdosta, Georgia. He looks forward to what he calls his "installment" every month almost as much as I enjoy baking for him. He is the coolest 80-year old I know, and has been very intentional about welcoming me into his family. Anywho, this month Grandaddy got two types of muffins. The bottom one is something of my own creation: black cherry cinnamon muffins. I adapted the recipe from a strawberry muffin recipe, and I must say they turned out quite tasty. I'm really enjoying baking with these cherries! The top is a muffin version of my grandmother's banana bread recipe. He called me this evening and told me that he approves :-)

Taco Soup

Tonight was a lesson in using leftovers to create a whole new meal! I had some taco meat, some tomato sauce, and some refried beans in the fridge, so I threw it into the crock pot with some other things to make one of our favorites: Taco Soup! On the side we have some tortilla chips which Mike warmed in the oven and some pole beans mixed with broccoli from the freezer because I didn't have enough beans, plus some cheese on top of the soup.

The verdict
This meal has been a never-fail hit ever since Marilyn Looney gave me the recipe shortly after I moved to Gainesville. It comes out a little different each time, and the recipe keeps evolving. It's also great for storing in individual containers and freezing for an easy lunch in a hurry. I give this meal 5 stars for taste and 3 stars for health.

Beef Ribs with Corn Pudding

Tonight we wanted to have an All-American meal, so we had beef ribs, corn pudding, and and a green salad. The ribs were boiled in beef broth, rubbed with a Santa Fe Dry Marinade my parents bought us from New Mexico, and thrown on the grill with a homemade barbeque sauce. The corn pudding recipe is from Dee, and is made with chive cream cheese, fresh corn, and eggs, among other things. For dessert, I tried something new: roasting a pineapple. Now, you might be thinking that sounds weird, but I got to thinking, we like baked apples because using the oven brings out the sweetness in the fruit. Why not?

The verdict

Ohhhhhhhhhh, ribs! We'd never tried the ribs with a rub before, but it added a whole new dimension; some nice heat under the sweet barbeque sauce. The corn pudding was delicious! It was unlike anything I've made before. I don't know if I'll make it regularly because it's not all that great for you, but the recipe is definitely a keeper. The pineapple was very good served warm. Maybe tomorrow we'll try it cool with some ice cream!

Last night Mike and I went to a fireworks display on campus. We were planning on picnicking before the show, but we got a late start and I had to eat my sandwich in the car. I get weird when I don't eat. Cranky is really a better word. When Mike and I started dating, my grandmother told him, "If she ever gets cranky, just give her a little something to eat. Even if she says she's not hungry, just give her a Nutra-grain bar or something, and she'll perk right up." It'd be embarrassing if it wasn't true. Anyway, by the time we got there, it was pitch black and we couldn't take a picture, plus most of the food was gone, so to make up for it, here's what we had for breakfast this morning: french toast made with whole-grain bread and a fruit salad of apples, oranges, blueberries, and cherries. I've been making the switch to whole grain breads whenever possible, and I think french toast made with white bread would taste weird to me!

Mexican Bake and Black Cherry Pie

Tonight I tried two new recipes. I try to stay away from doing this, but I caught the baking bug today and wanted to make Mike his favorite type of pie. But more on that later. I got the recipe for the Mexican Bake off allrecipes.com, and it really caught my eye because you don't have to brown the chicken beforehand. However, you have to make sure the casserole is really done so the chicken gets cooked thoroughly. I put banana and jalenpeno peppers on Mike's half, and after it came out of the oven I topped mine with sour cream. I also substituted my homemade salsa for part of the crushed tomatoes.

Now on to my be-yoo-te-ful Black Cherry pie! I called Mike on his way home from Ocala on Friday to ask him to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables, and he came home with a very pretty bag of black cherries. It was huge, however, and I was thinking about what a shame it was that we could never finish all of them before they spoiled, then I realized that I have never made Mike's favorite type of pie. I didn't know if there were any recipes that used black cherries, however, so I turned to the Internet and found a recipe that is remarkably like my mom's blueberry pie recipe. Check out this beauty!!

The verdict

The Mexican Bake was pretty darn good. It was a nice change from our regular fare. As I was eating it I thought that this casserole would be good with some refried beans in it. The pie was very good, it was a loooot of work! Try pitting a quart of cherries and tell me that isn't a lot of work! I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 2 and a half stars for health.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Mike’s parents came to visit last night and took us to the Mellow Mushroom. It’s a great little psychedelic pizza place by the University, with records covering the wall and bright orange paint. Fun to visit, but I could never work in a place like that! I can only take so much Jefferson Aeroplane. We ordered a “trash can pizza” with everything on it for my father in law and a pepperoni calzone for the rest of us, plus some yummy pretzels. I know, no veggies! ~gasp~ I went home and went right for the bag of baby carrots!

On to today's meal: I baked two big potatoes in the oven, scooped out the insides, mixed them with sour cream, Monterey-Jack cheese, and a slice of bacon, then popped them back in the oven to warm up again. I paired this with a nice big salad, and boy was Mike ready to go!

The verdict

This meal was the product of me not wanting to put much effort in our meal! I think it was very satisfying, nonetheless. I give this meal 4 stars for taste and 3 stars for health.