Chicken Scampi

3 TBS butter

2 TBS chopped onion

1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)(I only used 3)

1 -1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp minced fresh parsley

1 cup heavy cream

5 to 6 quarts water

16 ounces angel hair pasta

4 TBS light olive oil

12 chicken tenderloins

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips

1 chopped red onion

2 tsp minced fresh parsley, optional

freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional

1.  Make scampi sauce by melting butter in a preheated pan over medium/low heat. Add 2 tablespoons chopped onions and sauté for 2 to 4 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. If the butter begins to burn, turn down the heat. When the onions are beginning to brown, add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic burn. After about 30 seconds add the broth, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 15 to 18 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add parsley and heavy cream and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Do not let mixture reach a boil.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the angel hair pasta and cook for about 4 minutes or until pasta is al dente, or mostly tender with just a slight toughness. Drain the pasta in a colander when done, then hit it with some cold water to prevent sticking and to keep it from cooking further.

3. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken tenderloins, then coat each one in the flour that has been measured into a large bowl. Arrange all of the coated tenderloins on a plate before sautéing tenderloins in prepared pan. Cook the tenderloins for 3 to 5 minutes on one side or until golden brown.

4. When the chicken is brown on one side, flip each of the pieces, and move them to the side of the pans, then add an even amount of the sliced peppers and chopped red onions to the center the skillet. Continue cooking the chicken and veggies for 4 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is browned and the veggies are beginning to brown on the edges.

5. Pour the  scampi sauce over the chicken and veggies. Add pasta to pan, then toss the ingredients a bit and continue to cook for a couple minutes or until the pasta is heated through.

6. Sprinkle each plate with about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh parsley and serve it up with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

From Tastebook

Crock Pot Breakfast Scramble

12 eggs

1 bag of frozen hash browns

1 (16oz) roll of sausage (like Jimmy Dean HOT)

16 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup of milk

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 bell pepper (red or green), chopped small, optional

1/2 white onion, chopped, optional

Tabasco sauce, optional

1.  Brown your sausage and set aside. If you are using the onion, add it to the sausage while browning.

2.  Spray the bottom of a large crock pot with cooking spray and layer your hash browns on the bottom.

3.  Shred your cheese and chop your bell pepper. 

4. In a medium bowl, crack your eggs and whisk them together. Slowly add the milk and Tabasco sauce, and add in salt and pepper.  A good amount of pepper is needed.

 5.  Layer the sausage on top of the hash browns, then the bell pepper, and lastly the cheese on top of that.

6.  Mix it all together before you add the egg mixture.

7.  Pour the egg mixture over the top and mix it until even.

8.  Cover and cook on low overnight, or for 6-8 hours.

From Damanda Lynn

Nut Butter Banana Muffins-no flour

1 cup almond butter or peanut butter (natural works great)

2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

2 TBS cocoa powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the banana, eggs, and almond butter until well mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients. Fill muffin cups about ¾ full.  You can use a 1/4 cup to measure for each.

3. Bake for 15 minutes at 350℉. Muffins will be firm, but fluffy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from the muffin pan to a wire rack.

From Big Eats Tiny Kitchen

Samoa Sheet Cake

Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

½ cup butter

1 cup water

4 TBS cocoa

½ cup shortening

½ cup buttermilk

½ tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

FROSTING

½ cup butter

6 TBS milk

2-½ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

⅛ cup caramel sauce, I used caramel ice cream topping in the jar

Additional Toppings

2-½ cups toasted coconut, See instructions below for how to make it

7 to 8 ounces caramel, either Kraft Caramel Cubes or from a block of Caramel

⅛ cup evaporated milk

¾ cup milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening or oil

1.  Before making the cake, line an 18x13x1 inch cookie sheet with foil and spread shredded sweetened coconut evenly over cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes, checking and tossing coconut regularly, every 2-5 minutes, to make sure all the coconut gets toasted evenly and does not burn. Coconut is done when it is golden brown.  Set aside to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, measure flour and sugar. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, cocoa and shortening. Bring to a boil. After mixture reaches a boil, add it to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

4. Add buttermilk, then baking soda, then eggs, then vanilla in that order, mixing in-between each addition.

5. Pour into a greased 18x13x1 inch cookie sheet and bake at 400° F for about 20 minutes.

Frosting:

6. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine butter and milk and bring to a boil. Stir in caramel sauce and then add powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.

7. After cake has cooked, remove from oven and poke holes in hot cake with a fork. Pour frosting evenly over top. Immediately sprinkle with top of warm frosting with toasted coconut.

8. In microwavable bowl, add caramel and evaporated milk and cook on high in 30 second increments, string in between each increment. Continue to cook and stir until caramel is smooth. Drizzle over coconut.

9. In another microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips and shortening (or oil). Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment until the chocolate in melted. Drizzle over caramel.

10. Let Caramel and Chocolate drizzle set before cutting into it.

From Chef-In-Training