Curried Chicken Shephed's Pie

First of all, anyone have any tips on photographing a casserole?!  That was not an easy task!  No matter what I did, my dish just looked like a sloppy, gloppy mess!  Is gloppy a word?  I don't think so.  Don't let the pictures deter you from making this shepherd's pie though...it is delicious!  

What do you think of when you hear the term comfort food?  I have heard it in relation to foods like pot roast, grilled cheese sandwiches, fried chicken, those types of foods.  For me, shepherd's pie is the ultimate comfort food.  I had never had a shepherd's pie until I met my husband.  It was one of the first dishes that his mom served when I started joining their family for Sunday dinner.  Though a little nervous about the combination of green beans, potatoes and hamburger at first, I was hooked after one bite.  Now that we are living away from our families and no longer able to join either of them for Sunday dinner, I now consider things like my mother-in-law's shepherd's pie and my mom's sloppy joes and baked beans to be pure, down-right delicious comfort foods.  If there is one thing I hate about living far from family, it is missing those Sunday dinners, at either my parent's house or my in-law's.  I wish we could be there every week.  But since we can't, its my job to serve up those comfort dishes to my little family, and since I like to try new things, I decided to switch it up a little bit and try out a twist on the old (and well beloved) shepherd's pie...and this is it...Curried Chicken Shepherd's Pie.  Tender pieces of chicken breast, are enveloped in a slightly spicy, chicken broth based sauce, mixed in with tender vegetables and covered up by buttery and creamy mashed potatoes.  I thought this dinner was amazingly delicious!  

So tell me what are some of your favorite comfort foods?!

Curried Chicken Shepherd's Pie

This recipe calls for cooked chicken and prepared mashed potatoes...so plan ahead!  This would be a great recipe to use up some left over mashed potatoes.

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon curry powder

1-1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups mashed potatoes

1/4 teaspoon milk

In a large skillet, sauge onion and celery in 1 Tablespoon of butter until tender.  Add frozen vegetables and remaining butter.  Cook for 2 minutes longer.

Stir in flour and curry powder until blended; gradually add broth and milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.  Add the chicken, parsley, salt and pepper.

Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish.  Top with potatoes and sprinkle paprika over the top.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees, for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe Source:  Adapted ever so slightly from Taste Of Home 

You may find this recipe linked up at these parties!

Chicken Stew with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

We had another dip in temperature to the 50's this past week.  I know some people here in the Phoenix valley think that is just way too cold and are about sick of this chillier weather that we have been having this winter.  I, however, could not love it more!  Every time I check the 7 day forecast on my phone and see that it is still in the 60's, my heart does a tiny leap of happiness.  I am not ready for the rise in temps that will be coming to us in the next few months.  I shouldn't be living in fear of the heat, but I do.  Anyhow, if it is in the 50's, I will undoubtedly be making soup (I'm sure there are many of you in much colder climates rolling your eyes right now that I am calling the 50's soup/winter weather... sorry).  This was the soup of choice this past week and it was incredibly delicious.  It was hearty, filling and so so flavorful.  This was my first foray into the world of stew preparation (unless you count heating up a can of Campbell's beef stew...which I used to do...a whole lot), and it turned out wonderfully!  It was also the first time I have had a stew that didn't have beef in it, and the change was really nice.  

This soup might seem like a big task because of the vegetable roasting step, however, I made this in the afternoon while my little girl napped, and then I just put it in the fridge until dinner time.  I pulled it out, heated on medium-high for about 10 minutes and it was good to go and so perfect... until we were interrupted by a realtor at our door asking if he could show our for-sale home to some clients.  I had to pull my kid's bowls out from under them and dump it back in the soup pot.  But again, 30 minutes later, when I had to heat it for the 3rd time, it was still perfect!  So this definitely falls in the make-ahead category.  This is totally going into our tried-and-true soup folder.  It is a perfect dinner for a cold night!

Chicken Stew with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

*Though the recipe says to use 3 chicken breasts and 3 thighs, feel free to use whatever chicken you have on hand or feel like using.  The original recipe called for 6 breasts, but recommended using 1/2 and 1/2 to make it more economical.  I love thighs so that is what I went for and I loved that each bite was a little bit different.  If you want to use all thighs, or all breasts, go for it...I think it would be great any way.

4 cups unpeeled, cubed red potatoes (3/4-inch cubes)

2 cups whole baby carrots

1 cup coarsely chopped red onion

2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, divided

1-1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, divided

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup sliced fresh green beans

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 pound), cut into 1 inch cubes

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 pound), cut into 1 inch cubes

3-1/2 to 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

2 Tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray.  Add potatoes, carrots, onion, vinegar, oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, tarragon, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Roast, uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir vegetables and roast for another 15 minutes.  Add green beans, and roast for 10 more minutes.  

Meanwhile, pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into a large soup pot.  Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken pieces and reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.  Add roasted vegetables to chicken and broth.  Stir in 2-1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth (depending on how much liquid you want.  I will add more broth next time to make it soupier).  In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1/2 cup broth and stir until lump free.  Add cornstarch mixture to chicken and vegetables.  Cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened, about 3 minutes.  

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Taste of Home

I am linking this tasty soup up to these link parties!

Broccoli & Garlic Pasta

If you happened to ready my About page, then you already know how I started my marriage as a dreadful cook.  Absolutely dreadful.  I mentioned how I burned spaghetti once, and that is not even a lie.  For three years, I really did nothing to improve upon my cooking or baking skills.  Our go to meals were frozen pizzas, Stroganoff hamburger helper and, burritos made with canned refried beans and enchilada sauce.  Occasionally we would treat ourselves to a frozen Jenny-O turkey loaf with both white and dark meat...that is right, we were living totally gourmet.  Upon entering the grocery store, we made a bee-line for the frozen food section every time to see what treasures we could find for meal time.  The only real meal either of us ate during the week was that blessed Sunday dinner when we went to either my parents or Jason's.  It wasn't until I quit working when my first baby was one years old that I decided we needed to make some changes.  I was going to be leaving my job of 7 years to be a stay at home mom full time and I planned on jumping head first into total domesticity.  Of course, as they rarely do, things didn't quite play out the way I had anticipated.  I didn't realize there would be such a learning curve in becoming a domestic diva!  But obviously there is.  And here I am on my 5th year of being a stay-at-home mom/wife and there is still so much to learn and so far to go.  Anyhow, after I quit my job, I was on a mission to discover some quick and easy meals that I could make that would still impress the husband.  Although, its not as if that should have been too difficult considering what he had been living on for 3 years!  This was one of the first recipes that I found and tried and we still enjoy it today.  It is great in its simplicity and even my kids will eat it!  Double win!

Broccoli & Garlic Pasta

12 ounces uncooked linguine or fettuccine

5 cups broccoli florets

3 garlic cloves minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken broth, divided

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

1/2 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

Shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

Cook pasta according to directions on the package.  In a large skillet, saute garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute or until fragrant.  Do not let garlic burn or it will turn bitter.  Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Drain pasta and add to the skillet.  Stir in parsley and Italian 

seasonings and remaining broth.  Serve immediately, with generous amounts of Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source:  Heavily Adapted from Taste of Home

I linked up:

&
Whipperberry 
&
Chef in Training

Healthy Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry

 I don't know about anybody else, but as for me, I need a total makeover on my health after the holidays.  I am talking major.  For me, the bad holiday eating seems to start somewhere about mid October.  I can go the whole year without purchasing one full sized candy bar, but those dang mini ones packaged in Halloween colors and images, just scream at me to pick them up...and consume them...a whole lot of them.  Then when Halloween finally comes to a close and those bags of candy are marked down 75%, it just seems like a waste of time and energy to pick up on my good health habits again, what with Thanksgiving being right around the corner and all.  So I don't.  I make it my goal to consume as many pumpkin, toffee, and chocolate chip filled desserts as possible.  Then as soon as Thanksgiving is all said and done, something wonderful happens...Hershey's candy cane kisses.  Three full bags, and a few holiday pounds later, its somehow January and I have some major bad habits to reform.  And that's where this delicious, simple, and very healthy chicken and vegetable stir fry comes in.  It is packed with vegetables and flavor and makes a super simple weeknight meal.  With less than 150 calories in a one cup serving, you can pair this with 1/2 cup of brown rice,  and you have yourself a satisfying meal for just about 225 calories.  It is perfect served along side fresh fruit, like cantaloupe or watermelon slices, and you will feel so healthy eating it that you just might not feel so guilty about consuming that entire carton of leftover peppermint ice cream hiding out in the back of your freezer.  Ahem...not that I did that or anything.

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

2 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 cups fresh cauliflower's

1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 medium carrots, sliced

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 small can water chestnuts

1 red pepper, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on your level of spice tolerance)

2 1/2 cups hot cooked rice

Combine the cornstarch, broth and soy sauce until smooth.  Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir fry the chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil until no longer pink.  Remove from heat and keep warm (I never do anything to keep mine warm and it stays warm enough).

Stir fry the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onion, red pepper, and water chestnuts in remaining oil until crisp-tender.  Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes and cook one minute longer.

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add chicken and heat through.  Serve with rice.

Recipe Source:  Adapted slightly from Taste of Home