Sesame Green Beans

I couldn't stop eating these sesame green beans because they were that good!  I came across the original recipe from allrecipes.com.  This recipe is simple and easy.  I had fresh green beans from the farmers market so I had a few purple colored beans too!  This is a great side dish and I will definitely be making this again.

Sesame Green Beans

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds (I used roasted sesame seeds.)

¼ cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add sesame seeds.   Cook until lightly browned.  (I only cooked the sesame seeds for a minute since I had used roasted ones.)

Add in green beans.  Cook for a few minutes until the beans turn bright green.

Next, add in chicken broth, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until beans are tender.

Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates.

Serves 2-4.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust

I made this chicken pot pie with cornbread crust on Sunday because it just felt like the perfect dish to make on a chilly, rainy Sunday.   I already had some shredded rotisserie chicken that was used for the creamy piquillo pepper and chickpea soup with chicken recipe. I also decided to add in mashed potatoes since I had some leftover mashed red potatoes (click here for mashed red potatoes recipe).  This chicken pot pie with cornbread crush was a comforting dish for a rainy fall day.   The cornbread is slightly sweet and provides a great texture to the creamy chicken pot pie filling.  This recipe gave me extra chicken pot pie filling that I made a couple of mini shepherd's pie too!  I plan to post that recipe next so check back here tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

½ onion, diced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup mashed potatoes (optional - recipe here)

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

For cornbread crust

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon parsley, dried

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together jiffy cornbread mix, egg, milk and parsley.  Set aside.

In a dutch oven or saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter.

Add onions.  Cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

Next, stir in chicken broth and milk.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened.

Add frozen vegetables, mashed potatoes, and chicken.

Stir in thyme, salt, and pepper.

Spoon into a 9x9 inch baking dish.  Top chicken mixture with cornbread batter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly.

Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

I adapted this Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese recipe from the one I saw on The Washington Post in September (click for original recipe).  I had bookmarked the recipe and finally got around to trying it.  This mac and cheese turned out well and should be a kid-friendly dish.  You could easily adapt this recipe with different pasta shapes and vegetables too.  The best part was that I made mac and cheese in a rice cooker!  Be sure to use a 7-cup or larger rice cooker, I have a 14-cup rice cooker so I had no problem.  Also, I didn't stir it enough towards the end of cooking and the bottom had a layer of crisp melted cheese.  I actually didn't mind it at all because it tasted like the top part of a baked mac and cheese.  Feel free to sprinkle a little extra cheese on top when serving.  If you have a rice cooker, you need to try this recipe because its easy and delicious.  Enjoy!

Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces dried elbow macaroni pasta (or other shaped pasta)

2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 teaspoon salt

1 – 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or other vegetables)

1 cup low-fat milk

1 ½ cups cheese blend, shredded (I used sharp cheddar, mozzarella and provolone.)

Directions

In the rice cooker, combine pasta, broth and salt.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on regular cooking cycle.  Open a few times to stir the pasta to prevent scorching the bottom.  The broth should be almost or completely absorbed when done.

Once pasta is cooked, add in milk, cheese and vegetables.  Cover and cook for additional 10 minutes on regular cooking cycle.  Open a few times to give everything a stir (to prevent scorching).   However, if you don’t stir it, you will get a bottom layer that gets a little crispy, almost like when you bake mac and cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

Even Buddy and Ellie wanted this mac and cheese!  Ellie has a habit of pawing at my legs when she wants something...

Garlicky French Green Beans with Sliced Almonds

Mmmm...garlicky french green beans with sliced almonds!  This is a great healthy side dish and I loved it.  I couldn't get enough of this and its a nice change from regular steamed green beans.  The almonds really complimented the dish and garlic just about goes with every vegetable.  If you have any picky vegetable eaters, this might be one to try out!

Garlicky French Green Beans with Sliced Almonds 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound french style green beans (Also called haricot vert.)

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boiling.  Add in green beans and cook for 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large pan (or same pot) over medium-high heat, add in olive oil.  Next add in sliced almonds and toss for about 1minute.  Add in garlic and lightly brown for 1 minute.  (Do not overcook garlic or it will taste bitter!)

Add in chicken broth and beans.  Cover pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stoup

My friend Ashley shared a slow cooker recipe with me a couple weeks ago.  I decided to try it since I needed something simple to make after my travels.  Of course I had to tweak it since I didn't have all the ingredients and just made do with what I had.  I think next time I'll follow the recipe and try to get all the ingredients because it sounds delicious.  What I ended up making turned out to be a chicken stoup, a mix of a soup and stew.  I served it over plain white rice and topped with cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.  I added in a side salad to balance the meal.  You could eat it as is.  I would also be happy serving this over egg noodles too.  Scroll to the bottom for Ashley's original recipe, thanks Ash!

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Stoup

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can chicken gravy

2 ½ cups chicken broth

½ cup corn, frozen

½ cup peas and carrots, frozen

1 potato, diced

½ cup milk

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

 

 

Directions

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. 

 

Before serving, remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Place shredded chicken back into slow cooker.

 

Serve over white rice and top with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.

 

Enjoy!

Here is Ashley's original recipe that she sent to me:

Two chopped chicken breasts (we put them in whole and shredded them at
the end and dumped it back in)
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
2.5 cups of chicken broth
1.5 cup of corn
2 jalapeno peppers sliced
1 green bell pepper sliced
1.5cups of potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 cloves garlic
1 onion chopped
1 tsp cumin

Top with crispy asian noodles and cheddar cheese.

Saffron Rice

I finally bought saffron because I have been thinking about making saffron rice for so long.  I love the flavor and aroma of the saffron in the rice.  It also adds a beautiful color to the dish.   It is surprisingly easy to make, especially because I made it in my rice cooker!  My rice cooker actually has a saute button so I was able to saute the rice with the butter before I set it on the cook button.  I think next time I will add in onions and garlic to give it an extra savory flavor.  This saffron rice makes a great side dish!

Saffron Rice 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ cups jasmine rice

2 ½ cups chicken broth (You may substitute vegetable broth or water.)

1 pinch saffron

2 tablespoons hot water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small bowl, place saffron and add hot water.  Let soak for 10 minutes.

Rinse rice well so that water runs clear.

In a rice cooker, using the sauté option (if available), add in rinsed rice and butter.

Sauté until butter melts and coats the rice.

Turn on the cook rice option and add in chicken broth and salt.  Pour in saffron with the hot water.

Stir and let cook in rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

Serves 4.