MINI CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI POT PIES

A friend of mine, Debbie Holst Gutierrez, alerted me to the fact that it was National "Pi" Day.  Not your ordinary Pie day, but she was making this really scrumptious looking Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Oreo Pie,  Well this got me to thinking that I should "celebrate" this day too.  And that is why I ended up making these little delights.

I saw these the other day on Giada At Home, and since my 2 year old grandson, Alex, loves chicken and he loves broccoli, I thought these would be the perfect little bite-sized pot pies for his little hands.  He didn't eat one because he saw his other "love" on the counter moments before we ate....Macaroni and Cheese....it wins out everytime.  Oh well, I enjoyed making them and they were packed with really fabulous flavors.

I will say that these are a little time consuming so if you do not have time, just go ahead and using this filling to making one big pot pie. You will have to cook longer...maybe 30-45 minutes and probably back the heat down a little, but they would still be good.  In fact, I did both.  I doubled this recipe and made the mini's, and also made some individual pot pies that would feed 2 a piece.  I served this with a fruit salad but I think carrots would be great too.

They looked like little mini-quiches.  Wouldn't these be cute for a brunch or a bridal/baby shower?  I think they would be cute to announce that you are having a baby and make everything on the plate little, like little baby carrots, little new potatoes, etc.  They would also be perfect if you were announcing that you were having a new little grandbaby like I am!!

YES!!!! I AM HAVING A NEW GRANDBABY!!!

AND IT IS A BOY!!!!

AND HE IS DUE IN SEPTEMBER!!!

How is that for an announcement?? Haha!!

My daughter, Crystal and her boyfriend Ryan are expecting their first baby boy mid-September.  We are over the moon excited about this new little blessing that is on his precious little way.  This Nannie's heart swells every time I think about it!

I think your kids will  love these, but I loved them just as much....and the extra bonus was that I am expecting a very wonderful package in September!!  Love to you all!

MINI CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI POT PIES
(Makes 12 Minis)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 Box of Refrigerated Pie Dough (2 10-inch pie rounds...I used Pillsbury)
2 tablespoons Flour
2 tablespoons Butter
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
3/4 - 1 cup Whole Milk, room temperature
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese (fresh grated is the best)
Salt and Pepper to your liking
1 cup Rotisserie Chicken Breast, chopped small
1 cup fresh Broccoli, steamed and chopped small
1 egg, beaten

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add your garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.  Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute to remove the raw flour taste.

Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Stir until thickened like a gravy.

Add the Parmesan Cheese and stir to combine.

Taste now to see if you need more salt.  Add pepper to your liking.

Add the chicken and the broccoli.  Stir to coat the pieces.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds.

Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds.

Grease your mini muffin pan.  I use spray Olive Oil.

Place one 3 inch round in each hole of the miniature muffin pan and work to make sure it is even and comes out of the opening at the top a little all around.  Lightly flatten the edges.

Put a small amount of chicken/broccoli filling in each hole.  Not too much, because you do not want that coming out.

Using a pastry brush, brush some of the egg mixture around the flattened edges and place the 2 inch round piece of pastry on top.  The egg acts like a glue.  Lightly, mash to seal the edges.  After this step, you could use a fork to lightly make marks all around the edge....it just looks cute.

Brush a little more of the beaten egg on top.  It turns the top a beautiful, golden brown when baking.

Next, make a slit on top of each mini pot pie so that the steam can escape while cooking.

Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes.

When they come out, I would let them rest for about 5 minutes before attempting to remove them from the muffin pan.  When they are cool, they come out perfectly but when they are hot, they need a little coaxing.

I just got a small pan and placed it gently on top of the muffins, so not to mash them.  Then I flipped them slowly upside-down and just left them like that for about 30 seconds.  There may be some that are stubborn so if you can wait just a few more minutes, they should come right out or you can try "helping" out of their spots.

And there you go, little mini Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pies.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

BEST YOGURT PARFAIT EVER

Now tell me, doesn't this look like it is just going to be divine?  I am here to tell you, IT IS!!

I was cleaning out a room the other day, getting ready for some remodeling, so I just had Pioneer Woman playing on the television.  I looked up when she started talking about this little treat.  She had me intrigued because she was just gushing over this Greek Yogurt (that is an anomaly to me...not a fan).  She said her Mom taught her how to make it and she described it as "the best thing she has ever put in her mouth"!

I have been battling a sinus infection and on antibiotics, for what seems forever.  I was just thinking that I needed to be eating some yogurt to get some of that balance back in my gut, so she had me there too.  I watched her make it and it was simple enough, but what she did to the yogurt is where she got me hooked into trying it.

She started off with a container of Greek Yogurt but then she added heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla, and then finished it by layering it with fresh assorted berries.  I went to the store the next day and made it this morning.

I could not put my spoon down, it was just that good.  I know it has sugar and heavy cream but surely the yogurt and fresh berries cancels out any bad that could do....please tell me that is the truth!!  What a perfect little dish for serving to your family for breakfast, your girlfriends for brunch, or just for anytime you want a snack or light dessert....I so think this could be considered dessert : )

It took me less than 5 minutes to mix up...20 minutes in the fridge...3 minutes to assemble....what could be easier or less trouble.  I think I can safely say that this would make a Greek Yogurt lover out of any hater!  Try it and let me know!

BEST YOGURT PARFAIT EVER

(1) 17.5 ounce container Greek Yogurt (I used Fage)

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I used half light and half brown sugar, but it could be either and be great)

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Assorted Berries

Almonds, Walnuts, Granola

Extra Brown Sugar

Spoon the container of yogurt into a medium size bowl.

Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla to the yogurt.  Using a whisk, combine until well incorporated and creamy.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the top of the yogurt mixture but 

DO NOT STIR.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

In a parfait glass, or a small bowl, put a handful of berries.

DO NOT stir the brown sugar into the yogurt, but rather just dip your spoon all the way to the bottom and back up again grabbing some of the yogurt with the brown sugar, and dollop onto the fruit.  Repeat.

Top with a little bit of brown sugar, granola, nuts, if you like.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

SUNSHINE TOAST (TOAD IN A HOLE)

This was my first time to make this scrumptious little breakfast treat.  I had seen it one time in a magazine, and I want to say it was a Food Network issue, but I could be wrong. Anyway, they called it "Toad In A Hole".  It was the first time I had ever seen it made.

This morning I was trying to decide what to make for breakfast.  I didn't want to go to too much trouble since I cannot smell or taste.  I have been down since Wednesday with some kind of sinus stuff that is going around. However, I can taste sweet and I can taste salty, and since I loooooove buttered toast and I love a fried egg that is what I decided upon.  I even put a little apricot preserves on my toast to add a little sweet.  I had my idea of how to make it but I thought I would google it and, come to find out, it is not really called Toad In A Hole.  It actually goes by several different names so I loved getting to choose what I wanted to call it.  I thought Sunshine Toast sounded like a wonderful, morning kind of breakfast that I would want to eat so Sunshine Toast it is.  

Now, I can only go by what my husband said but, he really liked it and I cannot wait to make it for my grandson.  I like the idea of using whatever cookie cutter you want.  I used a heart and a circle but just think about the possibilities....easter cross, CHRISTmas star, football, dance, child's age...I could keep going.  And then I think about what you could put in the center...scrambled eggs with herbs, bacon, veggies, cheese, etc.  Oh what if you make it more like french toast and then add the egg in the center?  I may be making this a lot in the next few weeks.  I will let you know how they all turn out!

Now, I will say that you need to cook this on low heat so that your toast will not burn before the egg cooks.  I think that is the challenge to getting this dish right.  I didn't know that so I started with medium heat and I really wished the egg had cooked a little more.  Also, make sure that when you flip your toast that there is butter added to the pan so that your egg will not stick when flipped.  
When I finished this dish, I wished I had something green to add to it but I saw an orange and decided to zest it over the dish.  It did not turn out like I thought.  It was a quick thought and now I wished I had added some thinly, sliced green onion.  I think that would have been yummy too!  Well there is always next time...like tomorrow! Ha!

SUNSHINE TOAST

2 Pieces of Bread

2 tablespoons of Butter

2 Large Eggs

Salt and Pepper

Butter 2 pieces of bread

Use cookie cutters to cut out center of bread.

Put bread in a buttered skillet on low.  Break an egg into each hole.

Salt and Pepper each egg and cook until bread is toasted to your liking, then flip!  Make sure there is butter in the pan where the egg will land when flipped, or it will stick.

Serve with honey, jelly or preserves.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

If I had a dollar for every time I made these sandwiches, I would be a happy girl!  Just looking at them right now makes my mouth water!  Oh my goodness, they're A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

My friend Matresa gave me this recipe years ago.  I have made them for so many occasions...bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, holiday get togethers, and sometimes for my family on days that I know will be busy.  These are good by themselves with some chips or you can serve them with soup.  I have not found a person that does not like them.  The best thing is you can make them the day before and then bake them up the next day.

I have made them on all different kinds of rolls.  The original recipe called for Pepperidge Farm finger rolls.  When PF stopped making them, I used SaraLee dinner rolls.  These particular sandwiches in the picture were made using King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls.  I have also used turkey in place of the ham and a ham/turkey combination.  You could even experiment using your favorite cheese.  I think Havarti or Provolone might be good.

But what really makes these taste so good is the sauce that you pour on top.  I doesn't look great when you are cooking it but it takes these rolls to whole nutha level!   Oh and the smell in your kitchen is absolutely divine!

Trust me, you can't go wrong if you bring these for your New Year's celebration!  You will get a ton of compliments and I just bet it will become one of your favorite go-to recipes!

HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

1 pound Sliced Ham (I use Black Forest)

1 pound Sliced Swiss Cheese

2 packages King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (or other pre-made dinner rolls)

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1-1/2 sticks Butter

1-1/2 tablespoons Dry Minced Onions

1-1/2 tablespoons mustard

Cut rolls in half making a top and a bottom.  Place bottom half in a buttered, glass baking dish.

Layer ham, then cheese on top of rolls.

Put top half of rolls on top of the ham and cheese.

Melt butter and add remaining ingredients.  The mustard doesn't really combine well and that's fine.

Cut along perforated edges making single sandwiches.

Pour butter mixture over the sandwiches.

Place toothpicks in several of the sandwiches, cover with glad wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

Remove the glad wrap and toothpicks and place in a cold oven.

Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  I always try to take these out of the fridge about an hour or more before I put them in the oven.  A cold dish put into a hot oven can cause it to break. Watch closely to make sure the onions on top and the bottoms do not burn.  

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

STRAWBERRY DIP

I love super-easy recipes.  This recipe wins the prize for being the tastiest and easiest!

I made it this past weekend for a bridal brunch for one of my daughter's dearest friends, Melissa.  She is a girl with a beautiful smile, beautiful heart and one of the most entertaining lives! Ha!  If anything is going to happen, it will always happen to Melissa and I love to hear her newest stories.  I am so happy that she has found her true soul mate.  She deserves every happiness and I cannot wait to see them begin their happily ever after in just a little under 3 weeks!! So excited!

Okay, back to the recipe.  I don't know where I got this recipe but I know I have made it a hundred times (I may be exaggerating a bit)! I have made it for showers, holidays, funerals, just about any time people gather together, this is a delightful thing to serve. Unless you are allergic to any of these ingredients, you will love it and it is totally a gluten-free dessert! Yep, it;s pretty much perfect! I mean, if you can work a mixer and you over the age of 5, you can make this recipe!  It has 2 ingredients...marshmallow creme and strawberry cream cheese.  How can you go wrong...I could eat either of these with a spoon by themselves but mixed together and dip a strawberry in it....ohhhhh myyyyy goshhhh!! Heavenly!

STRAWBERRY DIP

(2) 7 ounce jars of Marshmallow Creme

(1) 8 ounce container Strawberry Cream Cheese (fat-free is just as good)

Strawberries for dipping

Empty 2 jars of marshmallow creme into a medium sized bowl.

Add cream cheese.

Mix well using a hand mixer.

Pour into a bowl and serve with strawberries.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE