French Onion Chicken Slider

        Good Morning Everyone!  A couple of nights ago I had an idea to try to combine all  the yumminess of French Onion Soup with a crispy Chicken Sandwich.  I spent half the night trying to talk myself out of it and the other half trying to decide the best way to make them! :-)  It's pretty obvious which side won :-)

         My biggest concern was the soupy onions making the bread too soggy.  I HATE soggy bread.  Well, last night I attempted it and it turned out WAY better than I even imagined!  I was able to cook the liquid almost completely out of the onions and it made them SO FLAVORFUL!  Wow was this yummy!  If you like French Onion Soup and Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, you will LOVE THIS!  Granted, this was a tad bit more work that most people would want to do on a weeknight for a sandwich, but for an every once in a while treat?  Totally worth it!  Here goes:

French Onion Crispy Chicken Slider

Step 1: Marination

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breast

1 cup Dill Pickle Juice

Directions

Slice each Chicken Breast into 4 sections, making 12 small Chicken Pieces.  Pound each  into 1/4 inch patties.  Put all 12 Chicken patties into a bowl and pour pickle juice over them to let them marinate in the fridge for up to 1 hour.

Step 2: French Onion Soup Onions

Ingredients

3 Onions, thinly sliced

3 TBSP Unsalted Butter

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 cup Beef Broth

1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

Directions

In a large Saute Pan, Melt 3 TBSP butter over medium heat.  Toss in onions and stir.  Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat then reduce heat to a simmer.  Add Salt, Pepper, and Sugar.  Cook over LOW heat stirring occasionally until Onions reach a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Don't try to speed up the process.  It will be worth it!  After the onions reach a deep golden brown, add the Beef Broth and Worcestershire.  Turn the heat up to Medium and cook out all of the liquid, stirring every minute or so. It took mine about 10 minutes.  After all the liquid is cooked out, remove from heat and set aside.

Step 3: Breading and Frying the Chicken Patties

Ingredients

12 mini Chicken Patties

1 egg

1/2 cup Cold Water

1 cup All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Preheat Vegetable Oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.  Mix the egg and cold water in a small, shallow bowl.  Combine the Flour, Salt, Paprika, Onion Powder and Garlic Powder in another shallow bowl.  Working with 1 patty at a time, Pull each patty out of the pickle juice marinade, dredge in the flour mixture, the egg mixture and the flour mixture again.  Set aside until all have been breaded.   Fry Chicken Patties in small batches for 6-7 minutes or until light brown and crispy and cooked through.  Remove and drain on Paper towels.  

Step 4: Layering the Sliders!

Ingredients

12 Pack King Hawaiian Rolls

Swiss Cheese Slices

12 Mini Chicken Patties 

French Onion Soup Onions

Directions

Slice King Hawaiian Rolls in half and layer: Swiss Cheese, Chicken Patty, Onions, more Swiss Cheese then The top part of the bun.  Place all 12 Sliders on a Pam sprayed Cookie Sheet. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees or until warmed through and the cheese is melted.  Serve Warm!  

<3 Aunt Bee

Menu Plan Monday 3-10-14 *Starring* Philly Cheese Steaks!

       Good Morning and welcome to another MENU PLAN MONDAY!!!! This is by far my favorite day of the week!  I love to go back and look at old menu post for inspiration!  I am excited about the menu this week because I am trying a few new recipes!  Some straight out of my 2:00am craving brain and some I have had bookmarked to try since before there was a pinterest.

       A couple of exciting things happened this week:

-Saturday was my 6 month 'Blogiversary'!  I still can't believe it!  It still seems like yesterday that the only people reading here were my mom and sister and mother in law.  LOL!  (It may be that way still....but don't burst my bubble) 

-Another fun thing that just so happened Saturday on our 6 month blogiversary..... Our facebook page reached the 5,000 fan mark!  This absolutely BLOWS MY MIND!  Thank y'all to everyone that has 'liked' our little page!  

Now!  Onto the FOOD:   :-)

       We had these delicious Philly Cheese Steaks for dinner last night.  If for no other reason, to try to get my husbands forgiveness for the kale he saw in my shopping cart yesterday.  A peace offering if you will.  ;-)

I am NOT from Philadelphia.  I have never even visited, but I have seen enough late night food network shows to know that these are probably not authentic Philly Cheese steaks.  But,  they are DARN GOOD and *bonus* they are homemade, even down to the Provolone Cheese Sauce!  SO, that is a winner in our book.  We scarfed these down and can't wait to make them again.  I think Uncle Bee may have even forgiven me for the Kale I am putting in our soup this week.... maybe. ;-)

Philly Cheese Steaks 

Ingredients

1 Bell Pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 Onion, thinly sliced

4 oz Fresh Mushrooms, sliced

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

3 TBSP Veg Oil, divided

1 tsp Garlic Salt, divided

1 tsp Black Pepper, divided

2 lbs New York Strip, trimmed of gristle and sliced as thinly as possible

1/2 cup Beef Broth

1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

Provolone Cheese Sauce, (Recipe Below)

4 Hoagie or Sub Rolls

Directions

 -Stick New York Strip in the freezer for 1 hour prior to slicing.  This will make it easier to slice very thin.  Use a good sharp knife.  Set thinly sliced meat aside.  

 -In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP of the oil over medium-high heat.  Once oil is hot, add veggies and saute, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.  After the veggies are cooked to your desired amount, add the chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp garlic salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.  Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for 2 minutes, to keep the garlic from burning.   Remove from heat.  Spoon the veggies in a bowl and wipe out your pan so you can reuse it for the meat.  

 -Now put the remaining TBSP of oil in the skillet over medium high heat and add your thinly sliced steak.   Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning only once or twice to get a little bit of brown on the meat.  Brown food is good :-)  Next add in the Beef Broth, Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt and 1/2 tsp Black Pepper to the steak.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the liquid is cooked out completely.  

 -Now slice open your hoagie rolls, top with Steak, Veggies and Pour on the Provolone Cheese Sauce.  Put the hoagie lid on and wrap the hoagies each tightly with foil.  Place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven on 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until completely warmed through.  Remove foil and serve immediately!

Provolone Cheese Sauce (Adapted Recipe Source)

Ingredients

1 TBSP Unsalted Butter

1 TBSP All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Whole Milk

1 Cup Shredded Provolone Cheese

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the Provolone and Parmesan until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.  

Menu For the Week!

1) Philly Cheese Steaks with Broccoli and Leftover Provolone Cheese Sauce

2) BFD - Breakfast for dinner- Going to be Veggie Filled 'Make Your Own' Omelettes.  This is a great way to get my kids to eat lots of veggies!

3) Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copy Cat Soup - (Hence, the Kale)

4) French Onion Soup Crispy Chicken Sliders- (This idea came to me during a midnight craving.   I couldn't talk myself out of it so this is happening)

5) Crock Pot Roasted Garlic and Brown Sugar Pulled Roast Beef n Cheddar Sandwiches - I have had this recipe bookmarked for YEARS(!)  Can't wait to finally try it!  

6) Island Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs - We had these at my brother's Wedding Reception and I can't get them out of my mind!

7) Grilled Chicken Baked Panzanella - I am marinated and grilling extra chicken when I do the Island Chicken Kabobs so that I will have extra for this dish.  #LeftoverMakeover #GrillOnceEatTwice

Well that about does it for us!  I hope y'all have a safe, happy and yummy week!

<3 Aunt Bee

       

       

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award is an award passed around small blogs as a way to put a bit of spotlight on the blogs and make the blogger feel like people are actually interested and paying attention to what they do (which can be hard sometimes!). When someone nominates you for this award they pose 11 questions that need to be answered in the form of a blog post. This is a great way for everyone in the blogging community to get to know each other as well as a way for readers to find out a little more about the person behind the posts.

Firstly, thank you SO much Nicole from http://picnicnz.blogspot.com/ for nominating me! I have nominated some fantastic blogs as well, you can find my picks at the bottom of this post.

1. Why did you start blogging?

 When I first got married, I didn't know how to boil water! I started watching cooking shows and collecting cook books and then found food blogs! I eventually became good enough at cooking that people started asking ME for cooking advice and recipes! For the past couple of years, I have been saying that one day, when my kids are grown *I* would start a food blog! Then, Last summer, a very good friend of mine asked me if I would teach her how to cook. I started typing up some recipes for her and was astounded when my favorite recipes, turned into over 200! I decided not to wait til my kids are grown! The time was NOW! It has been SO MUCH FUN!

 

2. What are three kitchen utensils you can not live without? 

My Dutch Oven, Cutting Board and Good Knives

3. Where do you see your blog in 5 years? 

I would love to have thousands of recipes on my website and get to travel around and be invited to restaurant openings and have cookbooks sent to me to review! That would be so much fun!

 

4. What is your favorite and least favorite food? 

Favorite is anything marinated and grilled. Least favorite is bananas. Blech!

5. What makes you most passionate about the topic of your blog? 

I get passionate about any blog post that will save people time, money or a trip through the drive thru or if I blog something personal or about family!

6. What is your favorite blog post? 

http://www.auntbeesrecipes.com/2014/02/menu-plan-monday-2-17-14-and-weekend.html   <---- This was about my 'baby' brothers wedding. My most personal one to day. I cry every time I look at it! Happy tears :-)

7. Other than blogging, what do you enjoy doing with your time? 

I love spending time with my husband and my kids! I like to play 'just dance' on the Wii and Super Mario brothers :-) My mother-in-law has gotten me pretty hooked on 'thrifting'. I love to go with her!

 

8. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? 

Somewhere that I could walk to the outdoor market for fresh groceries every day!

 

9. What is your favorite animal? 

I love any animal that has fur. Not fond of reptiles or amphibians! Probably puppies and kittens are my favorite!

 

10. What food do you crave the most? 

I crave meat! Protein! Heath Bar Blondies are good too!

11. What is your favorite (or most addicting) form of social media? 

I used to be addicted to reading healthy living blogs and food blogs, but since starting my own, not so much. Now I just check my comments and stats obsessively :-)

11 Random Facts About Me!

1. I am deathly afraid of insects.

2. I have never walked barefoot on the grass (see number 1)

3. I DO NOT drive on the interstate.

4. I was a smoker but quit almost 5 years ago.

5. I have terrible insomnia.

6. If my kids do something wrong, they know, all they have to do is make me laugh and they are
home free.

 

7. In 3rd grade, Billy Atchison told me spaghetti looks like worms and I haven't eaten spaghetti noodles since.

8. I do not watch scary movies, at all, ever. I hate to be scared.

9. I don't like surprises.

10. No matter WHAT time I set my alarm for, I almost always wake up 1 minute before it goes off. It is kind of freaky.

11. I have passed 2 kidney stones and am still embarrassed by my behavior in the emergency room both times lol

Liebster Award Rules:
Thank the blogger who presented you with the Liebster Award and provide a link back to his or her blog.
Answer the questions from the nominator, list 11 random facts about yourself, and create 11 questions for your nominees.
Present the Liebster Award to several other bloggers who have blogs whom you feel deserve to be noticed. Leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been nominated or email them.
Upload the Liebster Award image to your blog.

My Questions: 

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What are three kitchen utensils you can not live without?
3. Where do you see your blog in 5 years?
4. What are 3 things you can't live without?
5. What is your favorite TV Show?
6. What is your favorite blog post?
7. Other than blogging, what do you enjoy doing with your time?
8. If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would it be?
9. If you could meet any chef, who would it be and why?
10. What is your favorite and least favorite food?
11. What is your favorite restaurant?

I am nominating some of my blogger friends for the Liebster Award! Go check out their blogs!

Kecia @ http://keciasflavorbreakthrough.com/

Patty @ http://pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com

Trisha @ http://www.thelazymomcooks.com/

Anyonita @ http://www.anyonita-nibbles.co.uk/

Cynthia @ http://www.whatagirleats.com


<3 Aunt Bee

The Ultimate Island Pork Burger with Mango Salsa

Boy, oh Boy, does Aunt Jay have a special recipe to share with y'all today! This may be her best one yet! These Ultimate Island Pork Burgers with Mango Salsa will be the PERFECT way to kick off spring! Spring is coming, right???? :-)

The Ultimate Island Pork Burgers with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
Mango Salsa Ingredients
One mango, peeled, chopped and diced
20 oz can of pineapple tidbits, (divided, The Juice and some of the pineapple reserved for the Teriyaki Sauce)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced sweet pepper
Pinch of coarse salt

Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Burger Ingredients
2 TBSP Caribbean jerk seasoning
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP dried minced onion
1.5 lbs ground pork

Other
Hawaiian King's sandwich buns

Directions
For the Mango Salsa: In a medium bowl, combine mango with 3/4 cup of pineapple, (juice and remaining pineapple reserved for teriyaki sauce), onion, and sweet pepper. Add salt and mix well. Cover and place in fridge for the flavored to meld.

For the Burgers: Mix pork with spices and form into 4-6 patties about 3/4in thick.

For the Teriyaki Sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine all of the Teriyaki Sauce ingredients including reserved pineapple and juice. Pulse until puréed. Pour sauce into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil then allow to simmer on low, stirring occasionally. for about 10 minutes to thicken.

Grill burgers over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes, turning once. There should be no pink in the center and an instant read thermometer should read 160°. For the last few minutes, place buns on the grill to toast slightly.

Build burgers- bottom bun, pork burger, teriyaki sauce, salsa, top bun. Serve immediately. An island explosion in your mouth. Enjoy!

<3 Aunt Jay

*This post is being shared with the Kitchen Dreaming/Weekly Link Party!

Mexican Doritos Casserole

       Hi everyone!  I have another yummy recipe to share from my sister!  It's a REALLY good one!  Jamie (Aunt Jay....ha) is a super busy wife and mom to my adorable 1 yr old nephew and 3 yr old niece!  She is also a very IN DEMAND Kid, Family and Wedding Photographer in the Birmingham, Alabama area.   (Click on the link to go to her photography facebook page, to see some of her gorgeous work!)  If you are in her area and interested, she is AMAZING)  In her spare time (ha) she also makes yummy meals for her family.  When they turn out FANTASTIC (They usually do)  She sends me the recipe to share with you guys! Give it a try!  Aunt Jay's cooking NEVER disappoints!  Fun Fact:  Her Low Carb Jalapeno Chicken is my most viewed and most pinned recipe of all time!  

Mexican Doritos Casserole

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 can Rotel, mild

1 8 oz jar of Mild Taco Sauce

1 package Taco Seasoning mix

1 cup Sour Cream

1 TBSP Cumin

1 TBSP Chili Powder

2 Cups Shredded Cheese

2 3-3/8 oz bags of Doritos

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown hamburger, onion and garlic.  Drain off the grease.   Add meat mixture back to pan with rotel, taco sauce and taco seasoning.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.  While meat mixture simmers, in a small bowl combine sour cream, cumin and chili powder, set aside.  In a 13x9 casserole dish, empty 1 of the bags of Doritos and crumble them slightly.  Add half of the meat.  Dollop the sour cream mixture over the meat.  You don't have to worry about smoothing it out.  It will all melt into yummy creamy layer.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese.  Add the other half of the meat, followed by the other bag of chips, crumbled.  (You can leave a few chips out, whole, for garnish if desired.  Top with the rest of the cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  If desired, you can broil the top for a minute or 2, but watch it closely to keep it from burning!  Serve with any and all of your favorite taco toppings: lettuce, tomato, guacamole, sour cream, green onion, YUMMY!  

<3 Aunt JAY

White Cheddar Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Bake

       White cheddar cheese is RIGHT UP THERE near garlic and bacon as one of my favorite foods.  This Casserole has a TO DIE FOR Homemade White Cheddar Cheese Sauce that makes it out of this world delicious!  That's right.  This is homemade, from scratch, no 'cream of anything' soups.  Not that I am totally against the 'cream of' soups. They can be a huge time saver for busy moms, but sometimes we DO have time for a homemade from scratch casserole.  This is that kind of recipe!  This is also a great one to make ahead of time.  You can prep it the night before or the morning of, then just bake it when you are ready to eat.   If you like white cheddar cheese, and/or are trying to avoid the canned soups, give this a try! 

White Cheddar Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Bake

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breast, boiled and shredded (reserve 1 cup of the broth-y water that is left in pot for casserole)

2 cups cooked rice

3 cups frozen Broccoli Florets, thawed and chopped into small pieces

1/2 cup Fresh Chives, finely chopped

2 TBSP Butter

2 TBSP All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cup Whole Milk

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
8 oz block of Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/2 Sleeve Buttery Crackers, crushed (I use Ritz)

Directions

Boil Chicken Breast until falling apart tender.  Remove from pot.  Shred and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of the leftover Broth-y water from the pot for the casserole. Prepare rice and allow broccoli to thaw. While rice is preparing, make your White Cheddar Cheese Sauce. Melt butter in a sauce pan and add the chives. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the flour. Mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps. Add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Add the chili powder, salt, pepper and dijon mustard. Stir constantly for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded white cheddar cheese.  Now in a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, reserved broth, cooked rice, thawed broccoli and the cheese sauce.  Mix together and taste to check the seasonings.  Pour into a Pam sprayed 2 quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil and bake on 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and top with crushed Ritz crackers.  Return to oven uncovered and bake for 10 more or until cracker crumbs start to brown.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

<3 Aunt Bee

{Menu Plan Monday 3/4/14, Cajun Jambalaya & My Exciting News}

       Good afternoon everyone and welcome to this weeks edition of Menu Plan Monday hosted by the incredible Laura at www.orgjunkie.com!   A lot to talk about today!  First, I want to share with you our Mardi Gras dinner!   This Jambalaya is out of this world delicious and so packed full of flavor!  I can NOT recommend this enough!

~Cajun Jambalaya with Chicken, Ham & Sausage~

Ingredients
2 lbs Smoked Sausage, chopped in bite size pieces
3 Chicken Breast, diced
1 lb baked Ham, chopped
3 medium Onions, chopped
1 bunch Green Onions, chopped
2 TBSP minced jarred Garlic
1 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp dried Basil
1/2 TBSP Black Pepper
1/2 TBSP White Pepper
1/2 TBSP Red Pepper Flakes
5 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth
2 1/2 cups white rice
*A bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce at the table for each person to add to their own bowls
Directions
Preheat your Dutch oven on the stove over high heat. Spray with Pam and toss in your Smoked Sausage. Stirring constantly with a metal spatula for 5 minutes. Next, add the diced chicken breast and continue stirring constantly until cooked through, about 10 minutes. After chicken is cooked through, reduce heat to medium. Add the green and white onions. Continue Stirring. After 5 minutes, Ad the ham and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes. KEEP STIRRING! :-) Next, add the thyme, basil, black pepper, white pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir together then cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat OFF. Let it sit for 2 hours. This is your Jambalaya base. After it has rested and cooled and the flavors have had time to meld together, you can then add your chicken broth and rice and finish preparing it, or you can refrigerate 'the base' until ready to finish it! We made ours as soon as the 2 hours were up :-) Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add the rice and parsley, reduce the heat to medium and gently break up the rice. Using the metal spatula, continue to ensure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pot; this is very important! Continue to scrape the pot so that no rice sticks to the bottom. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to the lowest possible setting and simmer, covered, for at least 25 minutes. Do not remove the cover while the rice is steaming. Serve with a salt shaker and a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce on the table. Enjoy!!!!

         Ok, so now for my news! I had mentioned the other day, that I had gotten some head shots taken. Well now I can tell you why! www.AuntBeesRecipes.com is partnering with www.RocketCityMom.com and I could NOT be more excited! I have been a huge fan of their site from the very beginning! I will be writing a series called, 'Sunday Suppers with Aunt Bee', with the focus on the importance of family dinners around the table! So, this is right up my alley! I hope you will all check it out!

        

        Onto the menu plan!  Our menu this week has a couple of Cajun dishes on it for Mardi Gras. Actually it's more because of all the yummy Mardis Gras inspired food everyone is posting on facebook, blogs and pinterest.  It's got me craving SPICY!  

1) Cajun Jambalaya with Chicken, Ham and Sausage (recipe above) 

2) Cajun Chicken Alfredo

3) Spaghetti and Meatballs

4) Triple Cheese Meatball Subs (Using leftover meatballs #LeftoverMakeover)

6. Beef  'n Cheddar Salad with Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing

7. BFD (Breakfast for dinner) - Probably pancakes and bacon or an omelette with bacon.  The only definite is the bacon :-)

For Fruits and Veggies this week, I am making a HUGE mason jar full or the Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing.  We will eat fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots and bell peppers with the dressing and we have been going to town on clementines, green apples, strawberries and pears!  (Pears are SO GOOD with Baby Bell Cheese!)  

I also made a huge pot of Vegetable Soup to go along with our meals.  Recipe to come!  :-)

I hope y'all have an amazing week!  See you next time!

<3 Aunt Bee