Tuesday, February 21, 2012

February 24, 2012 - Chris Ugo's Kitchen!

Chicken Pot Pie

1 9 inch deep pie crust (top & bottom) don not prebake
1 C each chopped: celery (1 large), onion (1 large), carrots (2 large), potato (1 large baker)
(Or, we could use the frozen mirpoix mix from Kroger?)
1/3 C melted butter
½ C flour
1 & ½ C each: half & half, canned chicken broth
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
1 lb boneless chicken

Cook & cube chicken.
Saute veggies in butter until tender-crisp. Coat them with flour and gradually add broth and half & half.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Then add salt, pepper and chicken, (this filling can be saved in fridge overnight, but not in pie shell).
Pour into unbaked pie shell, mold top of pie shell to pie. Prick holes on top. (Optional – mix 1 egg w/1 T. milk and brush over pie shell for glazed look.)
Bake at 400 for 30 min. Cover w/ foil if getting too brown. Let stand 15 min. for neater pie slices. Serves 6.

Meatball Sub Casserole
Serves 8
6 cups Italian bread, cubed
1 (8-ounce) package softened cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup water
2 cups jarred marinara sauce
2 (12-ounce) packages turkey meatballs, Italian style, read-to-eat

1. Spread the bread cubes in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish treated with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning and pepper; pour over bread. Cover with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
2. Combine the water, marinara and meatballs; pour over cheese layer. Top with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil, label and freeze.
3. To serve, bake thawed casserole in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.


French Toast Casserole 

1 Italian bread, 1 lb loaf
1 Cream cheese, 8 oz
1/2 c. Sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. Vanilla or almond extract
1/2 c. Pecans (optional), chopped
4 Eggs
2 c. Milk
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tblsp. Butter, melted

Assembly:
Cut bread into one inch cubes (about 14 cups). Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 9x13 inch-baking pan. Place the cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl or measuring cup. Cover the container with plastic wrap and cook on 100% power for 30 seconds. Stir it with a spoon, cover again and cook another 2 minutes. It should be completely melted. Stir half of the sugar and all of the extract into the cream cheese. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes (it will not completely cover them). Sprinkle the nuts over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining bread cubes. In a bowl, beat the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and melted butter together. The egg and milk mixture will make about 3 cups for each recipe.
Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes. Slide the pan into a labeled two-gallon freezer bag, seal and freeze.

Serving Day:
Thaw the casserole completely. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until browned. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes or so before cutting. Serve with warm syrup or purchased or homemade fruit toppings.

Cheddar & Cracker Chicken
16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 350° F.

In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, scallions and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness with a meat mallet. Dip the pounded chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.   Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chicken as directed above. After coating it in the cracker mixture, place chicken in a gallon sized freezer bag, seal and freeze flat in your freezer. When ready to prepare, place on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter. Bake as directed above from frozen until cooked through, possibly 30-35 minutes depending on thickness

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 large potatoes, baked
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
8 ounces bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (if desired)

Cut potatoes in half. Carefully remove the pulp without breaking the skins leaving a thin shell of potato and skin.

In a bowl, mash the pulp until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, 1 cup cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper and butter. Stir in Cheese and bacon (if desired). Fill shells.

Wrap potatoes individually and place in Ziploc bag.
From frozen: Remove wrap from each potato and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden and heated through

Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 pounds ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk egg and milk. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight loaves; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard; spoon over loaves.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160°.

Freezer Friends:
Thaw, Bake at 350 for 45 mins. 

Lasagna Chicken Roll Ups

Ingredients


3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 cup milk
1 cup Ricotta cheese

1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups Spaghetti Sauce


Directions:
  • In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheeses, milk, and pepper
  • Spread 1/2 cup mixture on each lasagna noodle; roll jelly-roll fashion
  • In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce
  • Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in sauce in baking dish 
  • Top with remaining spaghetti sauce
  • Cover 
  • Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot 
Serve, if desired, with additional Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Serve, if desired, with additional Parmesan cheese.


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