Cheatin' Chicken

Since I still haven't replaced my camera, I don't have a picture of this dish, but here is what came up when I did a Google Image search for "Cheatin Chicken" - apparently there is actually a product out there named that.

When I went to college, I had very few recipes in my arsenal. The most exciting thing that I could make was a box of Pasta Roni and what I like to call, Cheatin' Chicken. I have always watched my Mother make this delicious dish and it requires no recipe or cooking knowledge. It is almost impossible to screw up and it is perfect for a tasty chicken that you can pair with any meal and no one needs to know how easy it is.

Cheatin' Chicken

1. Defrost your chicken, this recipe can be adjusted for one breast to 12 breasts, just defrost what you need.

2. If you remember to, in the morning, drop the chicken into a zip loc bag and pour Italian dressing over it. My Mother always used the traditional Wish Bone Italian, so I still use that today.

3. If you don't remember, pour it over the chicken as soon as you can and let it sit for as long as possible before you cook.

4. Heat your oven to 350

5. Drop the chicken and Italian dressing mix into a casserole dish, make sure the Italian dressing is not drowning the chicken, you want the top of the chicken to be above your Italian dressing.

6. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the top of each of your chicken breasts, just enough to coat the top with an even layer.

7. Throw your chicken in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked through, don't over cook it or it will be dry!

The chicken will have absorbed the flavors of the Italian dressing and stayed nice and moist. The Parmesan cheese is a nutty crust on top that is baked to perfection. I can guarantee, you can't screw this one up!

Sweet Gift from Above

If I could only have one condiment for the rest of my life, I would without a doubt choose ranch dressing. Ranch is the All American condiment, it is an undeniably wonderful flavor that can universally be put on any food. Outside of a fantastic homemade recipe, the best ranch from a bottle is by far Hidden Valley. Don't even bother messing with the other bottles out there, they won't compare to the deliciousness that Hidden Valley has.

If I took a poll of waitresses, I guarantee they would say the number one thing requested after the food is delivered is "a side of ranch". Once we see our meal, it is natural instinct to want to dip that perfect meal in a side of ranch. We all know even though the meal looks good enough, ranch will make it better.

I challenge your thinking, here are things I love to put ranch on:

- Wings
- French Fries
- Salad
- Sandwiches/Wraps
- Veggies
- Pizza
- Chicken nuggets
- Mozzarella sticks
- Fried Pickles
- Egg Rolls
- Buffalo Wing flavored pretzels
- In tuna salad instead of mayo
- Replacement for pizza sauce
- Hot Dogs
- Tater Tots
- Hamburgers
- Pizza Rolls
- Bagel Bites
- Mixed in any spicy soup
- Tacos
- Rice
- Homemade sytle potato chips
- Bacon
- Bacon Cheese Fries
- Chili Cheese Fries

Kerry's List:
- Pokey Sticks
- Bloomin Onion
- Anything with cheese and bacon
- Anything from Taco Bell

I believe ranch dressing is universally good on any food, I am going to try ranch dressing everything I eat from now on. If Chinese food is for dinner, ranch is on the side.

We are Family

I apologize for the delay, I still haven't figured out how to blog during work hours without feeling completely guilty. But now I am sitting in Plato's Closet, while 2 college girls rummage through 5 bags of my clothing, judging my style and taste and trying to give me as little cash back as possible. Most people are staring at my strangely, that not only do I own a computer, but I choose to bring it out in public with me and am now blogging while I sit on a questionably sanitary leather couch. Remind me to shower as soon as I get home.


I was lucky to go home last weekend and cook Sunday dinner for my family. It is strange to work out of my Mother's kitchen, all her things have moved around since I have lived there, so sometimes it is an Easter egg hunt just to cook dinner. I was at a loss for what to cook, but a quick text to This Guy I Know solved all my problems, "stuffed shells, hands down", who can really argue with that?


I ran to Publix (in my Mother's cute little red VW convertible, top down), which is the Harris Teeter of South Florida, and was pleasantly surprised at my shopping experience, except for the 3 men above 65 who separately complimented me on my car! After politely thanking the dirty old men, I gathered up the following:


1 box of large shell pasta
1 16oz jar of Ricotta cheese
2 cups of Italian Mix cheese
1 box frozen spinach
1/2 pound ground Sausage
1 jar Alfredo Sauce
1 jar marinara
1 package fresh asparagus
1 small package Goat Cheese


Stuffed Shells Two Ways

Stuffed shells are one of those dishes that you really can't screw up, whatever you like, mix it in some ricotta and then stuff the shells, you can't go wrong!

1. Start your pasta in boiling water, cook until al dente. Pre-heat your oven to 350.

2. I split my Ricotta into two pots, my family can be picky (My Dad refuses to eat anything green), so I planned on making one spinach filling and one sausage filling. I let the ricotta cook on medium low, to soften up.

3. Add a cup of the Italian shredded cheese to each pot, you could also substitute just mozzarella here, let it melt and combine with the ricotta.

4. Cook the spinach and drain it completely! I will always be amazed at how much water frozen spinach can hold, insane.

5. Brown the sausage in a separate pan.

6. Here is where I start to throw random things into the pot...I like to add fresh chopped garlic, salt, pepper, some parsley, Parmesan cheese and a little Garlic & Herb cream cheese (Boursin, Alouette or Pub Cheese works great).

7. Mix the spinach into one pot and the sausage into the other.

8. Drain the pasta shells very well, some water will hide in the shells, make sure you get it out!

9. Let the pasta cool. You have to pick them up to stuff them and it is not fun to do while they are scorching hot.

10. While you are waiting for the pasta to cool, set up a stuffing station. I used two 8x8 casserole dishes, in the bottom of one, I covered with some marinara, the bottom of the other, Alfredo sauce.

11. Stuff your shells with the filling and then line them up in the casserole dishes.

12. Put your shells in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, just to let them get nice and bubbly.

Roasted Asparagus w/ Goat Cheese Sauce

1. Trim your asparagus to take off the woody ends.

2. Heat up some olive oil and a little butter in a pan.

3. Saute the fresh asparagus in the oil/butter and garlic. Season with S&P to taste.

4. In a small sauce pot, melt the Goat cheese on medium low.

5. Once melted, whisk in either milk or white wine until the sauce is the consistency you like.

6. Your asparagus should be done now, take it off the heat and serve with the sauce.

The final product!

My family seemed happy, so I guess that is all that matters! Enjoy!

I Get It From My Momma

I learned everything I know from my Mother, (and a little bit extra from Food Network) she really is the hostess with the mostess. Everytime I have come home, she is throwing another fabulous party, today it was a baby shower for a close friend's daughter. It was no surprise, but my Mother out did herself again.

Everything was built around the clothing line theme and tiny onesies and cute baby tees hung off of windows and walls around the house.

The center pieces were made up from an adorable paper bag with bibs and dipers and then stuffed with Gerber daisy's. My Mother had collected about 25 of the most adorable shoes for a baby girl and she decorated each table with them.

There were a variety of quiches served and each was delicious. Swiss cheese and Spinach, Broccoli and cheese, Bacon and Cheddar and my favorite, Sun Dried Tomato, Sasuage and Goat Cheese quiche.

Lots of yummy fruit and salads were served as well. My favorite was the broccoli coleslaw, which is a newer way to eat broccoli that I have discovered. This version was served with broccoli slaw, ramen noodles, oil, vinegar and the seasoning pack from the ramen.

Dessert was sweet treats of dark chocolate cups filled with white chocolate mousse, double chocolate chip cookies, baby onesie shapped sugar cookies and 7 layer bars.

There were present galore, but I think one of the best was a handmade quilt that my Mother made. I only wish I could throw a party like she does, she always pays attention to every detail and everything is always fabulous.

Stuffed Peppers and Spicy Corn Chowder

This Guy I Know* wanted to make stuffed peppers one night for dinner, so since we usually split responsibilities and I decided to take on corn chowder to go with the peppers. Each of these dishes really could be a meal on their own, but my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach, so it is no surprise that I tend to overcook as well.

Stuffed Peppers
1. Pick out 3-4 red bell peppers, you want them to be able to sit with a flat bottom in a casserole dish.
2. Blanch the peppers in boiling water for about 5 minutes to make the cooking time in the oven faster.
3. Brown ground beef with onions until cooked through.
4. At the same time, begin cooking a rice of your choice, we used white rice, but Zatarains dirty rice would be good too.
5. Once the beef browns, add a small can of tomato sauce and season to taste. We mixed in taco seasoning, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes and S&P.
6. Mix together rice, ground beef mixture and shredded cheese, we used Helluva Good Monterey Jack with Jalapenos, which really is helluva good. Mix most of your cheese in the rice mixture, but save some for to top off the peppers.
7. We used a casserole dish to help the peppers stand up, stuff them full of your rice mixture and then top off with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for about 60 mins at 350 degrees.

I am obsessed with soup, so eventhough we made this dinner in the middle of July, when it was more than 90 degrees out, I couldn’t help but make a soup to go with these peppers. Corn has always been a favorite, especially since a fun college tradition of corn fest! But This Guy that I Know always says that I can screw up a soup, but whenever you make something for the first time, there is always the nerves of serving something that tastes terrible to This Guy I Know.

Spicy Corn Chowder
1. Fry up a packet of bacon, cut into bite size pieces in a pot. Remove the bacon, but leave the grease, it is great for cooking the veggies in!
2. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic until cooked through.
3. Add 2 tablespoons flour to the veggies and bacon grease and make a roux, cook until the flour cooks off.
4. Add 2 cups chicken stock and one 16 oz bag of frozen corn.
5. In a separate pot, boil water and potatoes, boil until cooked through, then dice into bite size pieces and put into the chowder.

I like a chowder to an authentic chowder, so in my book that means it needs to be thick and cheesy, no room for heathly in this pot! This is where I start to throw random things in the pot until it tastes/looks the way I want it too.

6. I threw in a can of Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese soup, a can of creamed corn, diced jalapenos, diced roasted red peppers and 1/4 of a stick of Velveeta.
7. For seasoning, I mixed in S&P, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning (I love Tony’s) and crushed red pepper flakes.

When a soup is not thick enough or cheesy enough, Velveeta always makes it better. Another trick to thickening soups is one I learned from a family friend, she mixes 1 part flour into 2 parts water in a tupperware and then whisks in to soup while it is boiling.

8. At the last minute, I mix in most of the bacon and then serve the soup topped with more bacon.

This meal was just delicious, it took a little longer than usual on a weeknight (total prep-cook time was about 1 hour and a 1/2), but it was worth it! These peppers were to die for and you could take this recipe and add anything you like and not screw this one up. The soup was creamy and I spiced it up to have an extra kick to compliment the peppers. Enjoy!

*Editor’s Note: Most of my cooking is done with the same guy, I offered him an alias name and the best/appropriate for public use that he could come up with was “This Guy I Know”. If/when he comes up with a new alias, you will be the first to know.

First Blog!

Hello blog world! I’ve started this blog to share my adventures in cooking. everything I cook is a hybrid of Food Network University, allrecipes.com, my Mother’s advice and my taste.

I don’t believe in reciepes without photos, so when I thought of this blog, I started taking photos of all my recent dinners…and then my camera was stolen. So the first few posts are going to be without visuals, I apologize, I am sure the jerks who stole my camera are really enjoying photos of stuffed peppers and fried raviolis.

Writing about how you cook can be difficult when you don’t always measure and usually just throw random things in the pot, but hopefully I can do a decent job of explaining with words what ended up going into the dish. Expect me to write about anything that involves food from cooking to eating, if it involves food, I am interested in it and will write about it. Here goes nothing…