Chicken Under a Biscuit Casserole

So yesterday I spent the day demolishing my deck for the new one I am starting to build in a few weeks. It was supposed to rain by noon, so my plan was to work outside until the rain started then move inside for work on the blog. Well the rain didn’t start until after 6:00 pm. So I kept working on the deck until 5:30. No blog work, but I still needed to make dinner.

Sunday I had taken some chicken out of the freezer to use this week. I also had cauliflower, mushrooms and fresh corn, that were needing to be cooked, before they found their way to the trash bin. What I came up with was this fairly healthy simple chicken casserole. This is a quick and easy recipe which allows you to substitute whatever items you have in the fridge that are on their last legs.

Makes great leftovers for lunch the next day. Trust me I just had it for lunch.

My kids loved this and didn’t even notice the smashed cauliflower for the bottom crust. Smashed cauliflower adds a nutritious nice flavor to the dish.

Enjoy!

Charlotte Royale

Last month I introduced you to The Daring Kitchen and the Daring Baker challenge which I participated in. Last month the challenge was to make Lamingtons which is a kind of snack cake from Australia. So if you are still wondering what the heck is The Daring Kitchen/Bakers here is a little synopsis?

The Daring Kitchen is the home of The Daring Bakers and The Daring Cooks. The premise of both groups is to create one recipe each month, given to us by a monthly host. We all create the same exact recipe and then post about it on our personal blogs on a designated date.

This months challenge was to make a Charlotte. The challenge comes from Rebecca at BakeNQuilt.com.  She has been a member of the Daring Bakers since 2011. She introduced all of Daring Bakers how to make a classic Charlotte Royale and Charlotte Russe! Here is how Rebecca describes the Charlotte.

Bacon and Egg Bake with Sausage Gravy

Okay so the kids have been out of school for over a week now. I am trying to figure out a schedule that works for me and them because it usually takes me a few weeks to get used to a new routine. Of course they are already bored and letting me know there is nothing to eat in the house or all the food is the “same old same old”. I was tired of hearing them complaining the other morning, so I came up with this quick breakfast bake using ingredients I had on hand. There are many versions of this recipe on the web, but none topped with sausage gravy. Yum!!

The great part about this recipe is you can add any ingredients your kids like. They could even make this themselves. Quick and easy and maybe the kids will not complain for a couple of days.

If you like what you see, please sign up to receive all my new recipes via email or follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Here is my version of Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Use for my Derby Day Truffles or enjoy anytime as a great pie by itself.

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 inch) Pillsbury pie shell crust
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Jim Beam Bourbon (or bourbon of your choice) or water
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoon cornmeal
• 2 teaspoon Rodelle vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Derby Day Truffles

A sure sign of spring is the running of The Kentucky Derby in early May. The 1.25 mile horse race is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY., on the first Saturday in May. It is the first race of the Triple Crown and is considered the crown jewel of the horse racing world. In Louisville it is a two-week long festival including parties and parades. The festivities kick off with Thunder over Louisville, fireworks and airshow, two Saturday’s before the Derby. The show is considered one of the largest in the country. Derby Day is a glamorous affair, where the rich and famous wear their spring finest, with most women wearing very elaborate hats. It is the place to be and be seen.

Kentucky Derby History Alternatively referred to as “The Run for the Roses” or “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the Kentucky Derby is a 1.25 mile race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses. The Kentucky Derby draws an average of 150,000 visitors each year, including residents, out-of-towners, celebrities, presidents, and even members of royal families.Kentucky Derby History:The first Kentucky Derby race occurred in 1875. Close to 10,000 people watched as 15 thoroughbred horses ran what was then a 1.5 mile course. In 1876, the length of the race was changed to 1.25 miles. By the early 1900s, owners of winning Kentucky Derby horses started sending their winners to run in the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York. In 1930, sportswriter Charles Hatton coined the term “Triple Crown” in reference to the same horses running the three races consecutively. Courtesy of Kentucky Derby Facts and History from about.com

Many foods are synonymous with The Kentucky Derby. The most famous is probably the Mint Julep (click here for the recipe from KentuckyDerby.com).  I guess this is technically not a food, but a drink, but after you have 2 or 3, you won’t care anyway.