Journey Into Deliciousness

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Grade: A

Time it takes: about an hour - there was a good bit going on in the kitchen that night, so I'm sure you could finish up this meal in less time; also note that the chicken calls for being soaked in buttermilk overnight, but it isn't absolutely vital just start with the chicken and let it rest in the buttermilk while you prep everything else

Yield: Serves 4

Source: adapted from Kevin & Amanda - a food blog (perfect, creamy, fettuccine alfredo)

I got sick over Christmas this year - two days beforehand to be exact and still can't shake the cough or the runny nose. Grumble. I also was sick over Thanksgiving this year, so my immune system really just wanted to knock both those holidays down for me. I spent Christmas day as an exhausted lump on the couch, waking up for nose blowing and bouts of coughing. I am glad that Christmas Eve is my traditional make a special dinner day instead of Christmas day. I had much more energy on Christmas Eve!

I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to make anything at all for Christmas. Being sick I was of the let's just be lazy this year opinion, but I was swayed at the last minute that Christmas dinner must go on! We somewhat regularly make a honey glazed ham for Christmas, but we had made that just for shits and giggles only a short time ago. So, I read recipes until I finally thought "Eureka! I shall make alfredo!". Chris, not being a big pasta fan, was less than thrilled until I said "I'm making steak skewers too." Bam, he was sold. (recipe to follow)

This was my third attempt at making alfredo sauce. The first turned out well if I remember correctly, but I have no idea what recipe I had used - the days before I documented such things. The second was super thin. This one was thick and creamy and very good. It has a nice garlic flavour to it, and reheated most excellently. I made a double batch of it and covered my plate...the chicken, the fettuccine, the potatoes! The recipe below will be in original non-doubled amounts. Another example of why I love food blogs so much, the instructions tend to be much more thorough and this is how it worked for me in my kitchen-esque. I think that is the reason this recipe turned out better than my last.

Christmas Eve dinner with the family watching The Santa Clause followed by passing out around 9pm...good times =)

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Oven Bundles

Grade: A

Time it takes: 2 hours (30 minutes prep, 1 hour and 30 minutes bake time)

Yield: 1 bundle

Source: My grandmother would make these all the time, and I just follow her example.

This is my go to, make them all the time, super easy and tasty weeknight recipe. There isn't much prep, the ingredients are simple, and you can pop it in the oven and forget about it for a while

You can certainly tweak the recipe to whatever your tastes are and whatever you have on hand. Season your chicken and then add in some vegetables - onion, carrots and potatoes are pretty standard.

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Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken Tenders

Grade: A

Time it takes: 45 minutes plus 2 hours or overnight to marinade (25 minutes baking, 20 minutes prep)

Yield: Serves 2

Source: Stephanie Cooks - a food blog (Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken)

I love chicken. I love it so much. It is delicious. It is especially delicious when it is bite sized and dippable. So, breaded chicken tenders are right up my alley. Usually I just cut up my chicken and bread it in the normal boring way, which is fine. But, I decided I should jazz it up a bit when I found this recipe in my favourite folder. I love honey and ginger, so this seemed like a winner.

Guess what? It totally was. Nicely crispy, and full of flavour. Also I always have the ingredients on hand, minus the buttermilk. But, I can handle picking up buttermilk at the store. These are way better than what you can purchase at a fast food place or get from a bag in the freezer section. Definitely worth the little added effort.

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BBQ Pulled Chicken

Grade: A+

Time it takes: 40 - 55 minutes, plus 30 minutes or overnight to marinade (20 minutes prep, 20 - 35 minutes cooking)

Yield: Serves 4

Source: The Comfort of Cooking - a food blog (BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches)

I have had a hankering for BBQ pulled pork for months now, but cannot remember to put the ingredients (aka whatever pork parts you use for that - shoulder, butt...something like that) on the shopping list. So, I finally decided to make BBQ pulled chicken instead. I always have chicken. I had a recipe already saved in my 'recipes to try' folder, and had all the ingredients on hand. I love when that happens.

I decided to just use store bought BBQ sauce because I am so picky with how it tastes, and I knew I already liked that type. But, you could make your own or purchase your favourite premade type. I thought it was so delicious with KC Masterpiece. The chicken was juicy and full of flavour and the BBQ sauce kept it nice and savoury. It was perfectly messy and hit the spot. If you live where fall and cold aren't part of your weather, or it just hasn't gotten cold yet there are still plenty of BBQ days left. You could BBQ in Florida year round...wonderful isn't it? (sarcasm...oh the sarcasm)

It is also so easy and quick, you could prep the chicken and marinade it in the morning and then let it soak up the flavour all day while you work or run errands or in general have a life. When you are ready to make dinner that night you only need about 40 minutes, with most of that being hands off cooking time, especially if you use store bought sauce.

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Noodles With Chicken In Peanut Sauce

Grade: B

Time it takes: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 4-6

Source: Mrs Sac's Purple Kitchen - a food blog (Peanut Butter - Rediscovered)

I have a mild fondness for peanut butter. It is good stuff, but I wouldn't say I love it. I don't go crazy for Reese's Peanut Butter cups or anything. However, when it turns into peanut butter sauce I swoon. That stuff is delicious. I like to make it when I have fondue and make teriyaki chicken - and then eat my weight in it. So good!

When I came upon this recipe, I thought I should definitely give it a try. I'd never had peanut noodles before, but I figured they would be yummy. The recipe was good, but it was very noodle-y. It was easy to make though and good for a week night dinner. The next time I make this I will add more veggies and chicken, less noodles, and up the peanut sauce amount by half. My favourite way to have peanut sauce is still with chicken teriyaki fondue and some rice - that will have to make an appearance on the menu really soon.

I'm writing out the recipe with the original amounts, and if you desire to make the veggies and chicken the star of the dish it is simple enough to just add more in place of pasta.

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Honey BBQ Chicken Drums

Grade: A+

Time it takes: 1 hour and 20 minutes (24 minutes prep, 56 minutes baking)

Yield: 20 legs

Source: Mrs Sac's Purple Kitchen - a food blog (not just another chicken wings recipe)

I had some chicken drums sitting in the freezer for weeks now that I had forgotten about. Chris saw them and suggested I finally make something with them. So, I headed to my handy dandy recipe favourites folder and pulled out this baby. Honey BBQ is my favourite type, and these looked like they had a little kick to 'em to please Chris' tastes.

These were fantastic! They definitely had a kick to them according to my on fire lips, but not too much that I didn't like them - because I tend to stay away from hot and spicy dishes. It was the perfect amount of spice with the sweet BBQ sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about them, too bad they didn't last long - Chris polished them off the next day.

I'm not the biggest fan of chicken with a bone. It's messy and you have to watch how you eat it and they are the biggest pain in the ass to take the skin off of. These are worth it! This is my second chicken drum recipe, and both have been out of this world delicious, so maybe I am coming around to the bones. I would make either of these recipes again, and hey football season is upon us...perfect time for finger food.

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Laughing Cow Chicken

Grade: A

Time it takes: 45 minutes (10 minutes prep, 35 minutes cooking)

Yield: Serves 4

Source: recipe from Elizabeth's Cooking Experiments - a food blog

When I saw this recipe I knew it would be the perfect easy meal, and you always could use more of those so I bookmarked it. I also love the Laughing Cow cheese wedges, especially the garlic & herb flavour. I bet these would be super tasty with any of the varieties, however. I thought that the garlic & herb cheese gave the chicken such a light delicate feeling, its not an overpowering cheese and the whole thing melts in your mouth. Pair it with a quick veggie or pasta side that you can make while the chicken is in the oven, and you've got a weeknight meal in no time.

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Balsamic Chicken Legs

Grade: A+

Time it takes: 4 hours and 35 minutes (1 hour prep, 3 hours marinading, 35 minutes cooking)

Yield: 12 legs

Source: Elizabeth's Edible Experience - a food blog (Right "Wing"ed)

Chris loves chicken legs, but I rarely make them because I'm not the biggest fan of meat on a bone. It is harder to eat and it is messier. But, I saw this recipe and it looked yummy enough to make even on the bone and I knew Chris would enjoy some chicken legs. It also looked like it would taste great with just a few ingredients and minimal effort. And what an underestimate that was - this is in the top two for favourite things I've made since getting married (the other being the Beef and Guinness Casserole). Finger lickingly delicious!

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Sweet Soy Glazed Chicken and Onions, and Spicy Garlic Shrimp and Green Beans

Grades: C (sweet soy glazed chicken) and A (spicy garlic shrimp and green beans)

I got both of these recipes from Stephanie Cooks, a food blog I'd browsed a few times. I'd bookmarked the sweet soy glazed chicken and onions recipe a couple months ago when it caught my eye. When I was thinking about what recipe I wanted to try next for my "new recipe of the week" I figured I'd give it a whirl. I wanted to pair it with another recipe so I searched under the archives for Asian and came up with the spicy garlic shrimp and green beans recipe. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned my dislike of vegetables, but I don't mind green beans - so I figured green beans mixed with a yummy sauce could be money.

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Chicken Pot Pie

Grade: A+

I'm a fan of delicious and homey cooking, so I figured chicken pot pie is something I should have a yummy tried and true recipe for. I made chicken pot pie once several years ago and the first bite tasted like the best thing ever, and so did the second bite and maybe even the third, but right around bite four I realized wow this is incredibly rich and filling and I can't eat another bite. It was just too something....too filling too rich too just something. I'm not sure. I couldn't eat it. Hopefully this recipe turns out better. Less is more.

I hopped over to allrecipes.com to find a pot pie recipe. I read about four or five plus a bunch of their comments (always read the comments), and combined what I found to form this recipe.

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