Chicken Bacon Ranch Biscuits

So I know there has been an influx of biscuit recipes on here, but let's be honest you don't care, you love biscuits and so do I. Lately I have been drained of all energy and just feeling, well, blaaahhh. We have all been there, but sometimes instead of stewing in it you have to push yourself through the cloud of monotony and pick yourself up again. How? Usually with bacon, cheese and biscuit bakes. Mmmm here we go:

Ingredients:

• 1(about 12 oz) large chicken breast cut into chunks and cooked.
• 3 strips of bacon cut into bits and fried.
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tsps dry ranch dressing
• 1 tsp dry ranch and 2 tsp parmesan mixed and set aside.
• 1 can biscuits
• 1 tbsp olive oil

When it comes to song writers who have touched my heart deeply and dearly, I am a devotee to their works. Since I was in a crummy mood earlier I needed a little pick me up from my good friend Joanna Newsom. I rank her right up their with Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits, a few other lyricists that always exceeded the english language to something a whole lot more eloquent and beautiful. I know most of my friends/followers have already heard this one but it's always nice to revisit the things that make us smile or made us smile at one point. This song is an oldie but always a sweet goodie:

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl combine cooked chicken, bacon, cheese, and your 2 tsps of ranch.
3. Take each biscuit and split carefully in half, stuff them, then seal then back up. Place them in a greased 9 inch pie pan seal side up.
4. Once all biscuits are in the pan spread your olive oil over the top of them and then sprinkle with your reserved parm and ranch mix.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.
6. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Crockpot Roast Beef for Two

So I took the weekend off to visit friends on the other side of the state, ate too much, drank too much and was never not in the presence of people I love. Pretty good weekend if you ask me, but now we're half way through the week and I still haven't really made anything. I made little au ju dippers that were ok, then made my Asian Lettuce Wraps so it's been unproductive. But tonight I made quite the little dish. A slow cooker recipe to get your taste buds drooling and your house smelling like heaven. I love roast beef, it's one of the easiest meals to make, it makes it so you look a lot more fancy than you actually are and looks a lot more impressive than it really is. So here's my dinner for two (with leftovers), my baby crockpot recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/2 thyme
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 lb roast rump or chuck
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 2 large carrots peeled and cut into medallions
• 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• dash of garlic powder

If there was one constantly overlooked crooner it's Bobby Darin. He never had the 'cool' status that Frank or Dean had but this man had the pipes to belt any song just as well. His most famous recordings were probably of Dream Lover, Mack the Knife or that ever annoying single Splish Splash (I only call it annoying because it doesnt feature how great of a singer he really was), but MY favorite is this little diddy that carries him through his entire range:

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in your crockpot minus your roast, mix well.
2. Add your roast and set your crockpot to low. Cook for 8 hours.
3. Serve over rice or with potatoes!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

One Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes

I have been obsessing over tiny houses/busses. Back when my husband and I were starting to date we would talk about how cool it would be to live in a converted old bus and just pick up and go whenever you wanted to. I don't need things and I'd rather have space in my yard than that island in the kitchen or a formal dining area. I just can't get enough of the storage tricks and the absolute simplicity these homes have to offer. Sigh. Anyway, speaking of simplicity, here's something that is sure to knock your boots off!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red or green bell pepper roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 large shallot sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsps apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsps brown sugar
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• .5 tsp ground black pepper
• .5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4-6 large iceburg lettuce leaves

God I love me some old timey country/rockabilly, and I LOVE me some sass. This woman is the best at screaming and singing and making you feel like a bad ass. So here is my long time love, Wanda Jackson. I hope you try to sing like her in your car like I do (it's fun, trust me):

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pot heat your oil up and fry up your bell pepper, garlic and shallot. 
2. Once your veggies have softened add all other ingredients but your lettuce and heat until boiling. Once boiling lower heat to low and put a lid on your pot. Cook until lentils are soft.
3. Serve on lettuce leaves!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Effortless Chicken Pot Pie

Holy crap you'd think we were living back on the west side! Rain rain rain. It's starting to feel just like home :) Other people get depressed with this kind of weather and I get productive, I love the cloudy weather, sunny days make me want to go down the lazy river to doing nothing. Each person is different I suppose. When it get's like this I don't want to make sweet and spicy tofu or some apple and kale dish, I want a savory, warm and just a plain old fashion grandma recipe. Something more like this perhaps?

Ingredients:

• 1 roma tomato diced
• 8 oz corn
• 1 russet potato peeled, cooked and diced
• 2 carrots shaved and cut into thin medallions
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 large shallot diced
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 1 can cream of celery
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• Package 2 pie crust

This is what I rock out to on these days. I never get bored of Chopin's artistry his nocturnes are eerily gorgeous and his melodies can't do anything other than move your soul. My favorite composer and one of my favorites, No.1 Op.15:

Directions:

1. Set your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a pie pan lay down one pie crust.
3. In a separate bowl mix together all ingredients except for extra pie crust.
4. Pour mixture into pie pan, then take your second pie crust and pinch the edges of it to the other crust sealing it. Bake for 55 minutes or until crust is browned.
5. Let cool for 20 minutes so insides can become less soupy and more like pot pie!
6. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone! 

Electric Lemonade Cocktail

I love cocktails. Pairing cocktails, mixing cocktails, trying new libations and what not it's just as important to me as the actual dish I am serving. This lovely electric concoction was made for me by my husband, so I can't take credit for it. But I can say this was tasty, easy and would pair well with some fruity yumminess or some BBQ. All I REALLY know is that it has me yearnin' for that good ole summertime, sorry winter but I'm done. Let's pretend it's summer huh?

You see that apricot wrapped bacon morsel back there? Well use your imagination for that recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• .5 oz Blue Caracao
• 2 oz sweet and sour
• 3.5 oz 7 up or Ginger Beer
• Lemon Wedge (for garnish and a spritz of lemon)

If there's one place I yearn to go to here in the US of A, it's the birthplace (to be debated I KNOW) of Jazz, New Orleans. I can't get enough of Jelly Roll, he get's me in the mood for more of that City's rhythm. Other people hailing from that swinging city are Mahalia Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Sydney Bechet, and Frank Ocean. 

Directions: 

1. Pour.
2. Stir.
3. Serve on Ice.

Happy and Safe Drinking Everyone!

Easy Baked Vegetarian Pot Stickers

A week ago I promised you all a pot stickers recipe and have yet to deliver, but I never break a promise. These little morsels were gobbled up with mae poi and a ginger garlic soy sauce for dipping.

I got up a wee bit early for a Saturday, for some reason my body just was done with sleep and 6 am sounded just fine. Sigh, I guess I can sleep in tomorrow. I think with all my aches and pains and constant to do lists running through my head my mind is having a rough time trying to grasp hold of those precious z's. But there are upsides to being the early bird. The whole house is quiet all I can hear is the rainfall and the cat is still in a cuddly mood which is always a treat. It also gives me time to prepare a shopping list before the husband gets up and maybe fit in some reading, I still have half of my Swamp Thing and Tank Girl comics to get through! Anywho, I hope you enjoy this recipe, I have 3 easy stuffing recipes for them!

Ingredients:

• 6 cheese sticks cut into thirds
• 1 package of about 50-60 pot sticker recipes
• 2 avocados
• 8 oz cream cheese
• If you tried my recipe for a sweet potato grilled cheese, I had some left overs that I used to stuff the pot stickers with as well!

One of my most favorite songs, Elvis did a great version of this song, but this was the first one I ever heard, and by god if it's just not one of the most beautiful melodies and lyrics ever created. I love Ketty's voice and she owns it. Rain, coffee brewing, and this song:

Directions:

1. Set your oven to 350 degrees
2. When stuffing the pot sticker wrappers, make sure to leave enough room around the edges to pinch them together, use 1 piece of cheese stick for a mozzarella stick one, avocado and cream cheese for another and if you had some potato left over use that for the last kind. 
3. Also, you will want to wet the edges to they don't fall apart after stuffing them.
4. When you are done stuffing, lightly brush olive oil over each one (I salted the mozzarella stick ones). And bake for 15 minutes so that you get a little browning around the edges.
5. Serve with whatever dipping sauces you prefer!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Sweet Potato Grilled Cheese

Another cheesy post?! Get used to it, it's the greatest food known to man. I skipped the long process that went along with this recipe and went for the quick and easy way, because that's what I am all about. I NEED it to be easy especially since yesterday happened.

Yesterday was a day of drinking and movies, I am getting too old for this, we watched Six String Samurai and drank Electric Leninades (that's not a misspelling), The Matrix and took red and blue shots of vodka paired with mio (don't recommend) and blue caracao, The Birdcage and drank a cocktail named Mrs. Flamingo, then ended with The Fantastical Fear of Everything paired with bloody marys. Thank god we had pizza and pot stickers to nibble on (pot sticker recipe to come). Anyway here we are, the all I could muster recipe:

Look at it!

The Matrix themed drinks, pretty clever huh? HUH?!

Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches):

• 1 large sweet potato washed, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 pieces of bread
• butter

Let's keep our tune relaxed today so no headaches ensue, I will just watch the snow and sip water from my water bottle, you'll help me through this Elton: 

Directions:

1. In a large microwaveable bowl place 1 cup of water and potato cook for 8 minutes.
2. Add your cheese and mix well, cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Toast your bread and spread butter over the top.
4. Dollop your potatoes on one side of each sandwich. 
5. Salt and pepper to taste your potatoes.
6. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!