Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

Our favorite nostalgic sandwich has been turned into our family favorite pie, no matter the age!  These classic flavors go together like…well, you know 😉  Now that Fall is approaching (c’mon my favorite season, we have mere weeks until the 21st and this weather needs to cooperate with that!), I’ve been craving those rich, warm flavors.  Given the heat just won’t break, what’s better than a chilled, comforting pie for dessert!

The Starting Lineup

• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy
• 1(8oz) block cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1(8oz) container whipped topping
• 1(9-inch) graham cracker crust
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/3 cup grape jelly
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and the peanut butter until well blended and smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and beat until well blended.  Gently fold in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping just until combined.

Pour into the crust and spread evenly.  Spread the remaining whipped topping over the top.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Chill for a minim of two hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, whisk the jelly, water and powdered sugar together in a small saucepan.  Warm and drizzle over the pie.  Enjoy!

Green Chile Chicken Pizza

I feel like I’ve been on a sort of hiatus.  I imagine that is also the definition of ‘summer’.  I now see how my kiddos summer break is relaxing for them, but in turn, means more work for me!  With only 1 week left till school begins, I’m about to be on my A-game again and can cook and RELAX.

This recipe is dedicated to the days I have my boys hollering for pizza, as I’m excited it’s a Taco Tuesday!  The best of both worlds!  Our local Texas grocer, HEB, has a yearly Hatch chile roasting event and its spectacularly delicious!!  That being said, I purchased a roasting bag full and came up with this family pleaser!  Hint: you can just as easily use the canned variety.  I just recommend to at least mix the hot and original mild variety.  Who wants a bland pizza?!

The Starting Lineup

• 2-3 rounds pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 8oz ‘hot’ hatch green chiles
• 4oz green chiles (to top pizza with)
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 oz mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (garnish)
• 1/3 cup cotija cheese (garnish)

*Makes 2-3 medium pizzas

**Your local pizzeria will often sell you fresh pizza dough, which makes your life that much easier!

In a large pot, sauté the onion till translucent (5-7 minutes).  Add in the chicken breasts, chopped poblano peppers, 8oz green chiles, chicken broth, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and salt.  Cover, and simmer on low for 2 hours, until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the cooked chicken, shred and set aside, reserving the chile/poblano sauce.  Allow to cool slightly and use either an immersion blender or transfer to your stand blender and combine thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to your pizza dough recipe/brand’s instruction (often 500 degrees for homemade).  If homemade, roll out your dough to roughly 12″ in diameter.  Ladle on the pureed green chile sauce and top with your shredded chicken, extra green chiles and mozzarella cheese.  Bake in the preheated oven until your crust is a golden brown and cheese is bubbling and melty!

Remove and top generously with the fresh cilantro and cotija cheese, enjoy!

 

Pot Pie Potatoes

I am fairly certain that baked potatoes were made for ‘stuffing’.  Growing up with Midwest roots, we had this side dish quite often, and always, always loaded up with butter and sour cream.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing un-tasty about that, especially accompanied with bacon, cheese and chives, but why not something else?!  Let’s change it up!

Since it has been quite rainy here in Texas and the weather has cooled to proper Fall temps, all I have been craving is good, old-fashioned, comfort food!  Given my husband and oldest son are suckers for chicken pot pie, I just had to put the two together!  I chose our favorite, standard pot pie vegetables, but feel free to add green beans or corn or heck, buy a large bag of frozen veggies and be done with it!  *Just add the frozen veggies towards the end.  The other ‘best part’ of this meal is not having to worry about the crust!  If you MUST, feel free to serve it alongside warm biscuits (very yummmmmmy), but I actually liked just the warm potato for a change.  Plus the potato skin crisp’s up beautifully in the oven!

This delicious, home-style recipe is even easy enough for the work week!  Just throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and set to low.  When you return home in the evening, bake the potatoes and bam!! dinner is served!

 

*If you have the time, by all means make your own “cream of” soup with flour, butter and cream/milk and add to the slow-cooker.  They also make great gluten-free cream soup’s now that can be substituted as well! 🙂 

 

The Starting Lineup

• 6 large, russet potatoes, baked (scrubbed clean, coated in extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt – baked directly on rack in 375 degree oven until fork tender, about 40-50 minutes.)
• 2-3 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2′ cubes
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 26oz low-sodium cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf *remove prior to serving
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• *cornstarch/milk slurry to thicken at the end, optional

 

Spray or line your slow cooker for easy cleanup.  Lay in the prepped vegetables (besides the frozen peas) and the cubed chicken breasts.  Pour in the soup and the chicken broth, stir together.  Lastly, stir in the seasonings.  Set to low for 7 hours.

About 1 hour before dinner, preheat your oven and bake your potatoes till for tender.  You can also stir in the frozen peas to your chicken pot pie mixture.

When the potatoes are ready, slice vertically, careful not to cut all of the way through.  *I like to scoop out a bit of the potato flesh, but to each their own.  Ladle a large helping of your pot pie mix into the hot potato and enjoy!

 

Eggs Benedict Quiche

Hands down, my husband’s favorite breakfast dish is Eggs Benedict.  If a restaurant is serving it, he shall have it.  He also has been known to order a quiche for lunch from time to time, which is humorous when you see his large frame and heavily tattooed self.

Myself, on the other hand, is not a giant fan of eggs, especially if it’s a runny yolk.  I just cAnNoT do it, no way José.  So while trying to be a good wife, I thought to bring together his two favorites and then I would enjoy it too, as there would be non of that yolkiness!

Needless to say, it was a huge success and is wonderful for holidays, brunches or even a light lunch.  The same flavors of a good benedict is there, just MUCH less of the hassle!

 

The Starting Lineup

Quiche

• 1 9-inch pie crust, store bought is fine
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6oz Canadian bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions, sliced
• 1/4 tsp each, salt & pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives or parsely, garnish

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• a few dashes of tabasco sauce (or 1/4 tsp cayenne)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out your pie crust into your pie pan, lightly pressing into the bottom and up the sides, while fluting the edges.
2. Place parchment paper (or foil) over it while adding pie weights or dried beans and blind bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the parchment and weights and bake for another 10 minutes.  Remove the parbaked pie crust from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the custard filling.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper.  Stir in the scallions.
4. Layer the chopped Canadian bacon to the parbaked pie crust and then pour the egg mixture overtop.  Carefully transfer the full custard’y future quiche to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes.  The center will just barely jiggle.
5. Remove from oven and allow to “set”.  While the quiche is cooling, you can prepare the quick (and delicious) hollandaise sauce.

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Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

1. To your blender: add in the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon and hot sauce/cayenne.  Blend till smooth.
2. Melt your butter in a pan or even the microwave for a quick minute.
3. While the butter is quite warm, pour as a thin stream into the egg mixture while blending.  The sauce will thicken fairly quick, serve immediately.

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Serve the slices of quiche with a heaping tablespoon of your hollandaise sauce overtop and a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsely, enjoy!

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pie

This longtime recipe, Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pie (also known as Amish Oatmeal Pie), is quite similar to everyone’s favorite, the Pecan Pie.  As a matter of fact, this dessert has often been referred to as “Poor Man’s Pecan Pie” since the famed nut can run up your grocery bill, but oats are a fairly inexpensive item.

There are several family variations of this classic mid-western dessert, but I happily bring you mine.  The sugars, cinnamon and vanilla mixed with the eggs and milk form almost a custard that when baked lets the rolled oats caramelize and create an almost crème brulee style crunch on top.  I typically serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, but I have to tell you…it has been known to be quite the breakfast treat, better than a donut, right?? 😉

The Starting Lineup

• 1 store-bought pie crust, unbaked
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 3 Tbsp butter, unsalted, softened
• Vanill ice cream (optional for serving)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and pull out your pie crust (if frozen) or line your pie dish with the refrigerated unbaked pie crust dough.

In a large bowl, add in the 3 eggs and beat together.  To that same bowl, whisk in both the brown and granulated sugar, oats, milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and butter.  Stir till completely combined.  *The mixture may seem a bit “loose”… that’s ok!

Simply pour this mixture straight into the unbaked pie shell and transfer to the oven.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until pie is baked through..it won’t jiggle too much.

Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before cutting into and serve with vanilla ice cream…or even for breakfast at that!  Enjoy! 🙂