Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Found this recipe on this blog.  It made up pretty quick easy to follow. It tasted great I will make this again.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Ingredients

 4 slices bacon, diced

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste 

8 ounces rotini

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the alfredo sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste 

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

 

Directions

 1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. 

 

2.  To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

 

4.  In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and Ranch Seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side; set aside.

5.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

 

6.  Add pasta to the prepared baking dish and layer with chicken and alfredo sauce; sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and heated through, about 15-20 minutes. 

 

7.  Serve immediately.  Make a salad or a side veggie dish,

 

 

 

 

 

New things I have made

Over the last few weeks I have been doing some sewing for my friends grandchildren.

 This bear is Charity bear super easy to make love the pattern

The Pattern can be found here: Charity Bear

 This pattern is a Joe Carter.  The pattern is not to bad to make. I think I will make it 20% larger the next time.

The Pattern can be found in:  Simply Sewing issue 38

 This is a great pattern to make.  I have made two from this pattern now.

The pattern can be found here: Short set pattern

 This is the same pattern as above just longer shorts.  These were made February 2018.

This Dog is so cool.  I have not made another one but I need to. The pattern is called puppy love.

It is in the Pretty Patches November 2016: Puppy Love

 This is the Charity bear pattern again. Love this pattern

Same link as above.

This is made with cardboard.  It was pretty easy to make will make another one or two for sure.  The bedding I just measured and made no pattern. 

The pattern for the bed: cardboard bed

Rhubarb Custard Pie

This recipe came from Aunt Margaret.  So it is about 50 years old.

Rhubarb Custard Pie 

Preheat oven 375F

2 cups rhubarb in an unbaked pie shell;  mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon minute tapioca.  Sprinkle this mixture over the rhubarb that is in the pie shell.  In a mixing bowl mix 3/4 cups sugar, 1  tablespoon flour and 2 eggs, beat until fluffy.  Pour this over pie and bake for 1 hour.

Pie Crust
 

Ingredients 

1 1/4 cups unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions 

1.  In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not over mix.

2. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days)

 3. On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough)

  4.  Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

 

Easy No Bake Cookies

brown eyed baker

I found this recipe on facebook from Brown Eyed Baker

I decided to add coconut and raisins and nutella and peanut butter to this recipe.

Easy No Bake Cookies

Ingredients  

1/2 cup butter

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 tablepsoons cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup nutella

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup large raisins

2 1/2 cups  quick cooking oatmeal

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Directions  

1. In saucepan boil butter, white sugar, salt, milk and cocoa powder for 2 minutes.

2. Remove from heat.

 
3. Stir in the peanut butter, nutella, coconut, raisins and vanilla extract until smooth, then stir in the oats.

 

4. I am going to try to put it back on low heat to keep it soft while scooping on tray.

 

5. Use cookie scoop and drop onto wax paper to cool.  Once cool store in air tight container.

 

Deep Dish Pecan Pie

I made a deep dish pecan pie.  The recipe came from the Genius Kitchen https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/utterly-deadly-southern-pecan-pie-101954

This recipe turned out really well.  The pastry recipe came from Martha Stewart https://www.marthastewart.com/316160/basic-pie-crust

It was the first time I used the food processor to make the crust.  I was very pleased how it turned out.

Deep Dish Pecan Pie

 Pie Crust

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions 

1.  In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not over mix.

2. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days)

 3. On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough)

  4.  Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Pecan Filling

 Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 1//2 cup corn syrup

4 eggs

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups halved pecans

Directions 

 In saucepan boil sugar and corn syrup together for 2 to 3 minutes; set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl beat eggs lightly and very slowly pour the cooled syrup mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly.

Pour this mixture through a fine strainer to ensure no lumps.

Stir in butter, vanilla and pecans into egg mixture and pour into prepared pie pan.

Bake at 350 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until set.

 

some of the Halloween things I have made

Some more toys I have made for Granddaughter

 This is a free pattern for Monty Moose: http://rikkelyngholm.com/2017/07/10/crochet-moose/

 This bunny is from Simply Sewing a Joe Carter pattern: http://www.lovepatchworkandquilting.com/quilt-tutorials/sew-a-softie-bunny-toys-tutorial

these guys were fun to make: https://www.sewmamasew.com/2016/03/spring-chick-bunny-tutorial-pattern/