Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY... Monday, January 25, 2010

Outside my window... Still inky black, up early today

I am thinking... of how I really enjoyed my weekend, even tho I had to work

I am thankful for... My job, even if it does drive me bonkers most days

I am wearing... pink bunny pajamas and a sweater - it's gotten COLD outside

I am remembering... such sweet kisses from my little Gwennie pig

I am going... to be staying home today until my Honey gets home this evening - then to Wal-Mart for a few things and out to eat

I am currently reading... A Sherlock Holmes story

I am hoping... to watch the rest of Return to Cranford today

On my mind... organizing everything around here

Noticing that... I have been really lax in keeping this blog up!

From the kitchen... Leek and Potato Soup, lemon pie. Later on in the week - Green Chili Beef Burritos, chicken tetrazzini, teriyaki pork tenderloin

Around the house... sweep and mop - again! Otherwise, organizing my cabinets

One of my favorite things . . . food magazines! I am hopelessly addicted!

From my picture journal...


It's CAT TV! Honey put up a bird-squirrel feeder just outside the living room window. Constant, non-stop entertainment for the kittie!

got daybook?


Chicken Tetrazzini

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti (I like to use cavatappi)
1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (or use 1-2 cans sliced drained mushrooms)
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups chopped cooked chicken or cooked turkey
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup frozen peas
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish (or a large oval casserole dish). Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente (do not overcook the pasta, leave semi-firm as it will cook more in the oven) drain, then transfer to a large bowl. Add in whipping cream and all three canned soups, cooked chicken or turkey, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and frozen peas, toss well to combine. In a large skillet melt butter; add in the mushrooms and saute until done. To the skillet with the mushrooms, add in onions and garlic; sauté until onions are soft; add to the soup mixture. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Season with seasoned salt and pepper (I use Morton's Nature's Seasoning). Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake about 30-35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly); uncover and sprinkle with about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, return to oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 5-8 minutes).

I also top this with some french fried onions. Sliced almonds are a very welcome addition as well. You can use whatever cheese you like. This makes quite a large dish, will serve 8.

Recipe originally from Kittencal on Recipezaar. I modified just a tidge.

Well, Honey is off to work now, time for me to get busy doing all the myriad of little things that need doing. Wishing you all a warm and productive day!

Comfort food

Autumn is that time of year that most people lean towards more comforting foods. Gone are the salads and light dinners. In are stick to your ribs soups and stews. We have had rain here - finally - and it has been rather cool. Autumn is surely here!

I like soups and stews of all sorts and I will be posting many of them as time goes by. I like a good beef stew, but DS does not care for beef. He will eat hamburger occasionally, but no steak or roast or sadly, beef stew. So, in order to fulfill my stew craving and still get him to eat it, I make chicken stew quite a bit.

Served over top of big, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, it is comfort food at its finest. Add a cold glass of milk and some sliced ripe tomatoes - now you're eatin'!

Chicken Stew
Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or you can use breasts)
Seasoned flour, for dredging
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (I leave mine in big pieces so DS can fish them out)
3-4 large cloves garlic
chicken broth
carrots, cut in chunks, about 2 medium-large
potatoes, cut in chunks, about 3 medium
1 cup frozen peas
1 can mushrooms, drained

flour and water, for thickening

Seasonings to your taste, thyme is good, black pepper a given

Chop your chicken thighs into pieces, not too small. Dredge them in well-seasoned flour and brown in the olive oil - set aside. Cook them in 2 batches, 1 tablespoon oil per batch. Add onion and garlic (cut in slivers) to pan and saute lightly. now pour about 3/4 cup of broth in your pan and deglaze it. In a large pan, combine chicken, onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes. Add Broth. How much broth you use is up to you, I covered my ingredients with it. Simmer for about an hour on low heat. Then add the peas and mushrooms. Take some of the broth off and stir in some flour - I don't measure this, just eyeball it. I used about a heaping 1/4 cup. Stir that together and then stir it back into the stew. Let it get good and bubbly to thicken it. Season well to your taste with salt, pepper, etc.



This is also good made with frozen mixed vegs. The left-overs can be used for chicken pot pie. Or you can put biscuit dough (refrigerated or homemade) on top and stick it in the oven. Or you can use pie dough and put it inside and make pasties.

It is best made the day before and reheated.

When I was working out of the home, I would throw my frozen chicken in the crockpot, along with frozen peas and carrots and frozen diced hashbrowns and some broth. I would let it cook all day. Then when I came home, out came the chicken to be diced up, in went the peas and mushrooms and thickening while the biscuits went in the oven. Worked a charm. Or you can use just plain water and drain it off and then throw in a can or jar of chicken gravy.

Teriyaki Chicken

Whew! with this heat, we have been fixing quite a few crockpot meals. I can throw them in either on my lunch hour or before work and it sure saves on heating up the house!

We try to be pretty economical, too. Now, I love boneless, skinless chicken breasts. There are SOOOOOO many things you can do with them! But for teriyaki, the dark meat of the chicken to me tastes better, richer somehow.

We had a large package of chicken thighs that we got on sale, so I took half of them and made this recipe. Quick to fix, easy, moist beyond belief and very flavorful!




Teriyaki Crockpot Chicken
Serves 4-6

6-8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skinned
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Grease a crockpot. I had 5 thighs and I used my small 1-1/2 quart and it worked fine. Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook for 1 hour on high, then 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy!



I am thinking this would be really good for sandwiches, just take it off the bone when done, shred it and add enough of the juice to moisten it good, bung it back in the crockpot and heat. With some Grilled pineapple rings and maybe a little Thai Sweet Chili sauce mixed with some sour cream?? With fresh jicama for crunch, maybe? Or soft asian tacos? A lot of possibilities!

Get ready for red onion marmelade tomorrow!