Comfort Food.

Yesterday I went all out for myself cooking dinner.

I even splurged on some flowers for the table.

and some wine. ;)

on the menu?

stove top chicken pot pie

served over

open-faced buttermilk biscuits.

Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.

  

They tell you to use frozen buttermilk biscuits, but woah. I was born and raised in the South, so frozen is unacceptable. Buttermilk biscuits should be made from scratch.

Buttermilk Biscuits

[best recipe out there.]

 2 1/4 cups Self-Rising Flour

1/2 cup cold butter

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

self-rising flour for kneading dough

Cut butter into flour until crumbly. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring until just moistened. Turn dough onto floured board. Knead dough 3-4 times, adding flour as needed. Flatten dough out with floured hands, and then fold dough onto itself. Sprinkle top with flour and flatten out again. Fold dough on itself once again. Repeat once more. Roll dough into 1/2 " thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on greased pan. Bake at 450˚ for 13-15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Stove-Top Chicken Pie

Buttermilk Biscuits

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 Tbsp Canola Oil

1- 80z package sliced fresh mushrooms

4 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced fat Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup low-sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese; cubed

1/2 (0.7 oz) Envelope Italian Dressing Mix (about 2 tsp) 

1 cup Frozen baby peas; thawed

1. Bake Biscuits.

2. Saute onion in hot oil in large skillet over medium/high heat 5 minutes, or until golden. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients. Cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Stir in peas, and cook 2 minutes. Spoon chicken mixture over hot split biscuits.   

**I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and didn't add the mushrooms (not a mushroom fan). It would also be good with carrots added in. Quick easy supper, that I highly recommend if you love some good Southern comfort food!**

Plus, cooking with wine is wonderful.. because you can enjoy a glass while you cook.

and YES, I did have both a glass of wine and a glass of sweet tea with my dinner. don't hate. ;)

Orange-Cranberry Gin and Tonic

Over Christmas we made the BEST cocktail.

It's from the December issue of Southern Living and it sounded so tasty me and Mama decided to give it a try.

It's an Orange-Cranberry Gin and Tonic.

and look how pretty it looks!

   It tastes as good as it looks, I promise. 

and it's easy to make.. but so pretty it will definitely impress your guests.

Ingredients

1 (2-inch) Orange Rind

1 Tablespoon Fresh Cranberries*

1 Teaspoon Sugar

1 Cup Ice Cubes

3 Tablespoons Gin

1 Tablespoon Fresh Orange Juice

1/4 Cup Tonic Water

1. Muddle orange rind strip, fresh cranberries, and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes, gin, and fresh orange juice. Cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour into an 8-oz. glass; top with tonic water. Serve immediately.

*Frozen cranberries, thawed, may be substituted. (It will probably make the drink more colorful, we used fresh cranberries in ours)

 

Cheers!

Peanut Butter Bars

If you like Reese's, this post is for YOU.
We have a recipe that is a family favorite, a lady at our church makes these Peanut Butter Bars for Holy Week each year and everyone fights over them. They're heavenly! Mal and I were craving them last night.. so we whipped up a batch! ;)

 We didn't take too many pictures during the mixing process, because it looks like any other cookie recipe. But we did take some Photobooth pics of ourselves... we were pumped for baking
 

And before we knew it, we had the finished product.. Delicious!

The Recipe:
Peanut Butter Bars

 3/4 C. Margarine

 3/4 C. brown sugar

 3/4 C. Sugar

 2 eggs

 3/4 C. peanut butter

 1/2 tsp. salt

 3/4 tsp. baking soda

 1/2 tsp. vanilla

 1 1/2 C. flour

 1 1/2 C. oats

 1 C. whipped peanut butter

With electric mixer, cream margarine, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Add peanut butter. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Mix well. Add salt, soda, and flour. Stir in oats. Spread dough onto 10x15" cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookie while you whip 1 cup peanut butter with electric mixer. Spread whipped peanut butter on warm cookie. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Frosting. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

3/4 C. margarine

3 T. cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

3 T. milk

1 box powdered sugar

In large saucepan, melt margarine. Add cocoa and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and milk. Stir until well mixed.

You have to try these this weekend! And they're good warmed a little bit with some ice cream on top too ;) 

Monday..

Week 2 of classes. I'm exhausted and it's only monday. This is not a good sign!! One reason I'm tired is because I stayed up watching the Emmy's, and I must say there were not too many impressive dresses. But anyways.. this afternoon I have been trying to stay focused and get all of my work done.. but I just keep thinking of how great a nap would be, how I need to put up clean dishes, run the dishwasher, clean the bathroom.. so I just can't stay focused. I swear I stay stressed because I constantly think of what all I need to do and it becomes overwhelming. I'm trying to be better. :)

But this afternoon I went ahead and cooked all of our dinner for tonight so that we just have to assemble it and chow down. I'm trying a new recipe me and mama saw in the new Paula Deen, it's a tailgating recipe that just makes my mouth water! They're Chili Lime chicken wraps. Yumm.. and I already mixed up the tortilla filling and it looks good.. so hopefully it will be :)

Tonight is Zumba at the fitness center and I. am. pumped. Let me just say, I am a very bad dancer. I definitely dance like a white girl. But I absolutely LOVE zumba. The instructor at our school is this hilarious guy who can shake his booty like nobody's business. (He's gay, and makes the class so much more fun.. I wish you could see him dance to Bootylicious, amazing.) The first time me and Emily went we were laughing so hard at ourselves, and the things he says. For example, last year one of the songs was a Britney Spears song and he said, "You are going to look like S-L-U-T's.. but ladies that is the point! This is Britney!! Do. her. Justice." I mean, hilarious. So we are so excited to start back with zumba and get a great workout and tons of laughs.

So until it's time to head to Zumba.. time to crack the books! Hope everyone is having a splendid monday!