Chicken and dumplings for two

 

For the chicken stew:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cut
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 2/3 cup chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the dumplings:

• 3/4 cup Bisquick mix
• 3 tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp milk (add extra for desired consistency)

Butternut and Apple Bake

 Butternut Squash Apple Bake 

Ingredients: 

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and ½-inch diced (about 1 medium) 

3 cups baking apples, ½-inch diced (Honeycrisp or Gala) 

½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) 

⅓ cup dried cranberries (optional but lovely) 

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 

¼ cup pure maple syrup 

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed 

1½ tsp ground cinnamon 

¼ tsp ground nutmeg 

½ tsp kosher salt 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 

How to Make It: 

1️⃣ Heat & Pan: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish; you want a shallow layer so the top can caramelize. 

2️⃣ Toss the Produce: In a large bowl, combine squash and apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep the apples bright. 

3️⃣ Make the Cozy Glaze: Whisk melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla until glossy and fragrant. 

4️⃣ Combine: Pour the glaze over the squash and apples; toss until every cube glistens. Fold in pecans and cranberries. 

5️⃣ Bake Covered: Transfer to the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake 25 minutes—steam-softening begins while flavors meld. 

6️⃣ Uncover & Caramelize: Remove foil, stir, and bake 15–20 minutes more, until the edges are syrupy and the top turns burnished and sticky. 

7️⃣ Rest & Shine: Let it stand 10 minutes; the maple-butter thickens into a spoonable glaze that clings to each bite. 

8️⃣ Serve: Spoon warm with roasts, pork-free poultry, or as a sweet-savory holiday side. (Also dreamy over vanilla yogurt for breakfast.)

Shrimp and pasta

olive oil, divided

angel hair pasta

chopped garlic

shrimp - peeled and deveine'd

Can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained

¼ cup dry white wine

parsley

fresh basil

Parmesan cheese

• 1. Bring water and tablespoon olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente; drain and rinse.

  2. Heat remaining olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until the garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside.

  3. Stir in tomatoes, wine, parsley, and basil; (pinch salt, pepper, red pepper) continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are heated through about 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Serve the shrimp mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and some more basil

  
  

Squash and zucchini bake

 

• Get a casserole dish and spread some tomato sauce and dribble olive oil on the bottom.
• Slice squash and zucchini into slices about the same size.
• Add a couple of spoon full of sauce to the bottom of the dish so the vegetable will not stick when being placed.
• Arrange the sliced veggies in alternating patterns, squash than zucchini. In-between squash and zucchini with space, stuff some mozzarella slices
• Spoon on top some tomato sauce, sprinkle garlic, salt and cheese and basil. 
• Place in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the oven. Stick a fork in the vegetables to see if they are cooked.
• Dribble some olive oil on top before serving. Enjoy!

Kugel - from Joyce

 CRUSTY-TOPPED NOODLE KUGEL

 

1 pkg. 8 oz cream cheese (SOFTENED)

½ cup margarine (SOFTENED)

1 ¼ cups sugar  (I use a little more!)

8 eggs, well beaten

4 ½ cups Whole milk 

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

Dash of salt

8 oz. egg noodles (I prefer Mueller’s medium)  (8 oz is 4 cups)

 

Topping – ½ cup graham cracker crumbs

                    1 tspn cinnamon 

 

Blend together cream cheese and margarine.  Add sugar, mix well.  Blend in eggs.  Stir in milk, vanilla, lemon juice and salt.  

Cook noodles as directed and drain.  Combine with cheese mixture and pour into a 13x9x2 baking dish. 

(I put the noodles in the baking dish and pour cheese mixture over it and then mix!)

 

Mix the graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon and sprinkle all over the top of the noodle mixture.   I filled an empty spice bottle and it worked nicely.  I also let the noodle mixture cool a bit before putting the topping on – otherwise it sinks into the kugel

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ¼ hours until brown and crusty on top.  Allow to coo1 for at least 30 minutes. 

 

Can be served at room temperature, heated in the microwave or right out of the refrigerator (my favorite way!)

Chicken and mushrooms

 

CRISPY CHICKEN

• ▢ 2 chicken breasts
• ▢  salt and pepper
• pepper
• ▢ flour
• ▢  butter

MUSHROOM SAUCE

• ▢ butter
• ▢ mushrooms
• ▢ garlic or a shallot or pearl onions, thyme. 
• ▢ 1/4 cup dry white wine (sub more chicken stock)
• ▢ 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup parmesan
• 
  

I split a half breast into two steaks. Season and flour dredge.  Sauté in butter till golden brown. Set aside under foil

Sauté mushrooms till they give up their mosture. Add some butter and aromatics.  Sauté till done. Set aside.

 Deglaze with wine. 

 Add stock and reduce. 

 Add cream and heat. 

Return mushroom mixture and chicken. Cover and simmer while preparing sides. 

Mashed potatoes are perfect. 

A green vegetable. 

Pork Tenderloin in Onion Gravy

 

For the Pork:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin , sliced into 1-inch thick medallions
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 2 tablespoonsolive oil

For the Gravy:

• 2 tablespoonsbutter
• 1 large onion , thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

• Season the pork medallions with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork medallions and cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they are browned and cooked thoroughly. Once done, transfer them to a plate and cover them with foil to keep them warm.
• In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook until they are soft and caramelized about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
• Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until no white patches remain.
• Gradually add the beef broth to the skillet, stirring continuously to avoid forming lumps.
• Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens, which should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Return the pork medallions to the skillet, coating them in the brown gravy onion sauce. Cook for a few minutes to ensure the pork is well-coated and heated through with an internal temperature of 145°F. Enjoy!