Bloggin' Blues

Lately I've been asking myself, does anything I write add value to other people's lives... or am I just a babbling brook of useless information? Do I add entertainment value?

In my personal blog it doesn't matter what I write - or who reads it. It is a documentation for myself and for my family. I print out the blog yearly and when the kids are adults, I'll pass it on to them. I feel like it will be fun for them to read about their childhood and some of the quirky things that went on. In that world, we are nameless. I have never used my kids real names or our location... although, if you visit my blog through a website like this, you obviously know where we are located. 

So, I've decided to change my blog point of view to one of my favorite things... food. I have started reviewing resturants over on "Eye on Annapolis" and I thought I'd make my focus here, recipes. Foods I've tried or foods I am going to try. 

I'm not sure how often I will get to write... but I will leave you with a few very simple, yet tasty dishes that you can make from one small roasted chicken.

I took a whole roasted chicken and deboned it. I used half of the chicken to make Chicken Pot Pie.

First saute chopped onions in a bit of olive oil until they start to soften, then add diced garlic. Set aside.

Add 5 tbsp of butter, melt and slowly add 1/3 cup flour and stir consistantly until the mixture looks like peanut butter. Slowly add 1/2 cup of cream (I used half and half instead), the mixture should still be thick & peanut butter like. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and keep stirring consistantly. Again, the mixture will still be thick.

Add chicken, frozen peas and carrots, garlic and onion and mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix.

Place mixture in a pie pan and bake at 375* for 15 mins. Then top with dough balls (you can find a recipe for biscuit dough or just use Pilsbury biscuits torn up into bits) and continue to bake for 15-17 mins. 

With the rest of the roasted chicken, you can try this simple pasta dish: Boil water, add kosher salt. Cook half a box of mini penne pasta. Drain. Add creamed spinach and roasted chicken, stir - eat. I used the safeway select asiago creamed spinach. If you want your sauce thinner, you can add some warmed heavy cream while stirring the creamed spinach and chicken together. 

Or this yummy dish:

Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce 

1 large (about 32 oz.) can of green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup cream or sour cream (optional, but tasty)
10-12 tortillas (corn or flour, whatever you like better)
a little oilve oil
1/2 chopped onion 
shredded roasted chicken
fresh cilantro leaves, whole for use as a garnish
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the sour or heavy cream into the enchilada sauce, add 1/3 to the chicken.  Set aside. 

Heat olive oil, add the onion until it softens and starts to turn golden. 

Lightly spray a 9 by 13 baking dish. Pour a bit of  enchilada sauce into the baking dish to make sure it covers the entire bottom. 

Place a small portion of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla, top with a little cheese and roll up. Place each rolled tortilla into the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken.  You should end up with between 10-12 enchiladas.

Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until you see bubbles around the edges and middle of the baking dish and the cheese has completely melted and turned golden.

Before serving, sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the top.  Serve with extra sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, shredded lettuce, or whatever you like on your enchiladas. We like black beans on the side, as well as a salad or fresh fruit.