Recipe of the week - Cheesy Southwest Chicken Pasta

 I came across this crock pot recipe on a Facebook group for recipes that I belong to.  It sounded good, so I figured I would try it out.  And it turned out pretty delicious.  I hope you enjoy it as well!

Cheesy Southwest Chicken Pasta

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1 can Mexicorn, drained

1 small can of sliced black olives

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

16 oz sour cream

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Green onion, chopped

16 oz short pasta, drained

Mix tomatoes, corn, olives, chili powder, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper in the bottom of your crock pot.  Layer chicken on top and cook on low for 8 hours.  Cook pasta according to directions and drain.  After chicken is cooked, take 2 forks and shred the chicken in the pot.  Add sour cream, cheese and green onion.  Stir in pasta.  Top with more cheddar and green onion and serve.  Enjoy!

*  You can use any short pasta of your choosing.  The original recipe I read called for shells, but I used farfalle and loved it.

* I did use low fat sour cream and that it not quite as creamy as it should have been, but still good!

*  I could not find mexicorn at my neighborhood grocery store, so I used a can of yellow corn and a can of green chilis and it worked just fine!

My "new to me" candy dish

 This candy dish isn't an antique as it's not even 50 years old, but I was on the hunt for one just like this and so there you go!  This is a glazed ceramic candy dish circa 1972.  The reason I wanted one like this is because I remember one from my childhood.  As many of you know, I am still obsessed with our family home in Wingate, NC where Aunt Sara lived.  I remember, as a child, that she had a candy dish just like this one on her coffee table in her den.  I don't remember whatever happened to that one, but it was always a treat to get to take the lid off and get a piece of candy out.  Of course, in retrospect, that candy had probably been there awhile.  Still, it was candy and as a child that's all that mattered.

So, I began searching online for one.  I didn't know exactly how to go about it because I didn't know the maker, if there was one specifically for this to have been labeled by.  I knew it was ceramic and a drip glaze, so that was helpful.  I finally found one on Ebay that was a beautiful shade of red with the drip glaze.  And, of course, it had a crack in the lid so on to the next one.  One day this one popped up in my searches and I saved it.  I repeatedly went back to it just to look at it.  Another reason I was drawn to this particular one is that one the bottom of the dish, it is signed as a gift to Susan Stack.  There was a Susan Stack that lived at Heritage Greens until she passed.  I don't know if it's the same one, but I like to think so.  Makes it extra special.

Well, since I haven't been smoking, I treat myself to something every month with the money I would have spent on cigarettes.  This was my November purchase for myself. Can't wait to fill it with candy!

We Gather Together - Happy Thanksgiving!

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Quote of the week

 After such a strange year, there is still much to be thankful for!

Song of the week - Let There Be Peace On Earth

 I don't normally subject others to Christmas music outside of the holiday season, at least not intentionally, but this is a song that just speaks to me right now.  It expresses what so many of us feel, hope and aspire to.  Be blessed and enjoy!

Quote of the week

 

Recipe of the week - Basil Lemon Chicken

 This is another Taste of Home recipe I came across in one of my cook books.  We eat a lot of chicken, so it's always nice to try something new.  This was pretty easy stove top cooking.  Enjoy!

Basil Lemon Chicken

1.5 pounds chicken tenderloins

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp dried basil

1/4 tsp thyme

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat.  Brown the chicken on both sides and remove from pan.  Add the broth and lemon juice to the pan, stirring to loosen the brown bits.  Bring to a boil.  Cook 2-3 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.  Stir in cream, basil and thyme.  Add the chicken and return to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Serve with past or rice or by itself.

Antique of the week - The Chocolate Set

 I began an obsession with chocolate sets when the homeplace in Wingate was divided up.  Aunt Sara had one that sat on a chest in her living room.  It had belonged previously to her sister, Mary Lee.  Sara left it to my cousin Edith, which is how I came to learn of their existence.  Mom let me read Sara's will and when I came across the chocolate set, I asked what it was.  She told me and I became fascinated with the fact that there was a set of dishes made specifically to serve hot chocolate out of.  I never saw Aunt Sara's set because it had gotten packed up and given to Edith early on, but I began a mission to have one.

Later that same year, 1987, I bought a set that was marked as a chocolate set.  In actuality, it's a demitasse set.  Still, I loved it and the dealer gave me an extremely generous price of $15 for it. Considering I was 12 at the time, this was a big deal to me.  It was a green checkerboard pattern and from the 40's.  I loved it.  I still love it and need to get it out of its box sometime and put it on display!

Fast forward about 25 years.  One of the times I had tried to quit smoking, I began the tradition of buying myself something fun with the money I was not spending on cigarettes.  A tradition I'm still carrying on to this day!  And, I found this set on Ebay.  I paid about $80 for it.  It's green with gold leaf.  I absolutely love it and am happy that I could finally mark it off of my antiques bucket list!  I haven't used it for anything other than display, but you never know.  It's getting colder outside and this is the perfect thing for hot chocolate.  That's what it's made for, after all!

Song of the week

 Just wanted to start my day off with some Julie!

Quote of the day

 An important reminder!

Recipe of the week - Mexican Chicken Alfredo

 Finding this recipe was a happy accident.  I was going through a stack of recipes that I had cut out of magazines from years ago and found this.  I remember that there was a recipe on the other side of the page that I had wanted to keep and did not remember this one at all.  It's from Taste of Home magazine.  But, I thought it sounded good and gave it a try.  We both loved it and I've made it several times in the past few months.  Definitely a keeper.  Good comfort food.  It's easy and can be made ahead of time and frozen.  Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

1 16oz package of spiral pasta

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cubed

1 medium oonion, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp oil

2 jars (15oz each) of alfredo sauce

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup medium salsa

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 envelope taco seasoning

Cook pasta to package directions.  As the pasta cooks, in a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the chicken, s&p and onion until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in Alfredo sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.  Drain pasta and toss with chicken mixture.  Pour into a casserole dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.  Serves 6

* You can use any short pasta of your choice.

Song of the Week - The Prayer

 I just needed to start my day with a beautiful piece of music.  That is all.

Quote of the day

 In honor of election day.  This is probably as political as I will get this week.   That is all.