Inspired Conversations
The conversation goes something like this each Sunday.
'What should I make for this week?' - Me
'Noodles!' - kid #2
'Sausage Sauce!' - kid #1
Why do I even ask? It's always the same answer from each of them (admittedly, kid #1 ocassionally requests Lasagna. I must be fair). It's this endless struggle to have good food around as opposed to the easy stuff (you all know what stuff I'm talkin' 'bout). Even though I know that 'stuff' isn't easier at the end of the day somehow (absurdly successful marketing schemes over the last 50 years or so, maybe?!) the message is in there that it is easier and that it won't be bad for us after all.
Anyway...
This Sunday's conversation changed slightly. I already had an agenda - some leftover chicken and a block of cream cheese. As soon as kid #1 sees the cream cheese it's hard to keep her away from it but I managed to keep it safe. She was quite happy with the conversation today when I suggested Chicken in Cream Sauce with Baby Spinach though. No arguments whatsoever.
Doing chicken like this is really just a form of Tetrazzini. Whatever, I don't need to be creating original works of art ... do I? This would really fall into my 'trashy' classification b/c of the cream cheese. Any kind of pre-processed, big label stuff qualifies. However, at least this one has spinach in it. That somehow redeems it completely... right?!
So, without further ado (?) here is what I made for dinner this week...
Leftover chicken in cream cheese sauce with Spinach
3 - 4 cups of leftover chicken cut into smallish pieces
1/2 an onion diced
1 - 2 ribs of celery diced
6 button or cremini (my favourite for this recipe) mushrooms sliced a little on the chunky side
3 cloves of garlic crushed
2 cups of chicken broth or bouillion
2 cups of milk or cream
1 4oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
salt (to taste)
nice assortment of herbs (I used basil, parsley and oregano), fresh basil and chives would be da bomb!
1 small package of baby spinach
Dice or slice the chicken and set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven and add oil once pan is hot.
Throw in the onion, celery and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until they get kind of soft. Add in the garlic and saute another 3 minutes or so. Once the veggies are ready add in the chicken and pepper sauce, a dash of salt and the herbs and mix well.
Add about 1/2 cup of the broth and let the stuff stuck on the bottom of the pan lift or de-glaze using a utensil to help the process along (that
gets the really tasty stuff off the pan and into the food). Add in the rest of the broth and all the cream cheese. Let the cream cheese melt down into the sauce and then add the parmesan cheese. Once everything is blended it should be pretty thick. At this point add in the milk or cream and get the sauce to whatever consistency you prefer (Note: if you will be keeping the sauce refrigerated for a couple of days it will thicken up so you might want it a bit thinner at the outset). Add Pepper Sauce and salt to taste.
gets the really tasty stuff off the pan and into the food). Add in the rest of the broth and all the cream cheese. Let the cream cheese melt down into the sauce and then add the parmesan cheese. Once everything is blended it should be pretty thick. At this point add in the milk or cream and get the sauce to whatever consistency you prefer (Note: if you will be keeping the sauce refrigerated for a couple of days it will thicken up so you might want it a bit thinner at the outset). Add Pepper Sauce and salt to taste. This can serve well with rice or pasta. In fact, if I were really feeling fancy I would do crepes or a Phyllo Pastry Strudel... Hmmm, that sounds kind of inspiring!!
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About Me
- Wanda Thorne
- St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
About Me
- Wanda Thorne
- St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
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1 comments:
Yum! You can make this for me anytime! This looks deeeeeelish!
You are an awesome cook and so very clever.
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