One pan Garlic Chicken and Asperagus

Ingredients

3-6 chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts (breasts pounded to even 1/2 inch thickness)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried basil (see note)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic and herbs and cook another minute or so until the garlic is fragrant.

2. Reduce heat to medium, add chicken to pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook another 5-7 minutes. (Chicken should be nearly, but not completely cooked through by this point)

3. Scoot the chicken over the sides and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the empty portion of the pan. Once the butter is melted, add asparagus. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, rotating throughout, for 4-6 minutes until tender and chicken is completely cooked through.

4. Serve immediately garnished with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh herbs if desired.

Recipe Notes

In place of the dried basil, oregano, and thyme, you can use about 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning.

Potato Casserole

I don't know that I've ever done this as written.  Always a variation, like ham or lunch meat instead of bolongna; never measured the peas, potatoes, or cheese.  Today, I didn't use the can of soup at all--just the milk and about a tbsp. of flour and some garlic salt and adobo powder and no sage.  But here's the recipe anyway, in all it's unvaried glory:

3 cups bologna, cubed
4 medium potatoes, sliced
10 oz. frozen peas
1 can cream of (mushroom, celery, or cheddar cheese)
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/2 tsp. sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Combine potatoes and meat in a 6 cup casserole dish.  Cook frozen peas, add soup, milk, onion and sage.  Bring to boil; stir in cheese.  Pour over meat & potatoes.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.


Pretty easy!

Crockpot Chicken--my fav!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I have used 4-6 breasts, also thighs)
1 pkg. dry zesty Italian dressing mix
1 cup chicken broth
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Put chicken in Crockpot with 1 cup chicken broth.  Sprinkle zesty Italian dressing mix over the tip.  Cook 2 hours.  Remove chicken and cut it up.  With chicken aside, add cream cheese and cream of chicken soup to the Crockpot.  Cook until bubbling.  Add chicken.  Serve over noodles or baked potatoes.

Carolyn's Chicken and Rice Casserole

My husband's mom had some recipes in a family cookbook.  This one is one I've altered a bit, so I'll post my version and then this original.
 
1 can cream mushroom soup (or whatever cream soup on hand)
1 can celery soup (or whatever...)
1 cup raw rice
2 cups milk
1 tsp. parsley flakes (or Italian herbs, or whatever you've got)
1 tsp. or so garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 chicken cut up into pieces (or chicken breasts)
Top with 1 package dry onion  soup mix, or Italian dressing mix, or whatever herbs you've got on hand, or those little crunchy onions, cheese...you get the picture--just make it yummy on the top. =)

Mix in 13X9 or larger casserole dish: soups, rice, parsley, and milk, garlic, salt, pepper.  Put chicken on top of mixture and top with topping.  Cover with aluminum foil if it might burn, but otherwise, I don't.  Bake at 350 for 1 to 2 hours, until chicken is completely done.

Carolyn's:
1 can cream mushroom soup

1 can celery soup

1 1/4 cup raw rice
1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp. parsley flakes (or Italian herbs, or whatever you've got)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 chicken cut up into pieces
Top with 1 package dry onion  soup mix.th

Then put it together and bake like above.

Somehow, no matter what topping I've put on, my husband gets in at the last minute and adds something else.  Today it was cheese.  Should I be offended?  Well, whatever...it always tastes great.

Awesome Pizza dough

This recipe comes from a friend of mine who used to own a pizza restaurant.  =)

2 Cups water (110 degrees)
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/8 Cup sugar
1 tsp. salt (original recipe is 1/2 tsp)
5 cups flour
1/4 C. oil

Put water into mixing bowl.  Add yeast, salt, and sugar.  (Sometimes I add the salt here, sometimes later to preserve the yeast.)  Let set until yeast is soft.  Add two cups of flour and mix well.  Add remaining flour all at once.  Mix by hand, folding in from the edges.  Dough should be stiff.  Now add the oil.  Mix until all the oil is absorbed.  Cover and let rise, approximately 30 minutes.
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The last time I made pizza, I used the Kitchen Aid with the dough hook for about five minutes because I didn't have time to let it rest in the fridge, and it actually turned out heavenly--couldn't get enough!!