Tonight I decided to pull out my recipe box, which is filled with recipes that I received at my bridal shower from family and friends! Tonight's selection: Salsa Chicken & Cheese Straws. The chicken recipe is actually based on a recipe my Aunt April gave me, but I changed it up a bit so I didn't have to run to the grocery! And the Cheese Straws are from the kitchen of my father-in-law, Barry Hicks. Thanks for sharing, April & Barry! Both recipes are super simple and require just a few ingredients (which I have again bolded so you can gather before you begin).
Start off with a pound of thawed chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, 3 or 4 pieces) and pound it so it's less rounded on top and has a bit of a flat, table-like top. Then brown your chicken in a skillet on medium heat with a quarter of a stick of butter. While it's browning, sprinkle a pinch of basil (or other favorite spice you have handy) over each piece of chicken and then cover. Let it cook for about 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally.
While you're waiting for your chicken, you can start on the Cheese Straws. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of sharpest cheddar shredded/grated cheese, 1 & 1/2 sticks melted butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 dash crushed red pepper or hot sauce, 4 tbsp ice water. It works a little better if you mix the salt and hot sauce in with the melted butter and then pour that over the flour/cheese mixture so everything gets evenly coated. Mix well. Let the dough chill in the freezer for a few minutes. *If you pre-plan you can mix the cheese straw dough and let it chill in the fridge for an hour before you begin...it's a little easier to roll out that way. Once it's chill, roll your dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness and then slice thin strips (however long you wish, but these tend to be fragile in my experience so the length of a french fry works best for me). Bake for 20 minutes, and voila!
Matt's dad (Barry or "Biz") used to make these whenever he made spaghetti, but they're so good we like them with pretty much anything!
Back to our chicken - After 25-30 minutes sprinkle (or load) the chicken with shredded mozzarella cheese and a little bit of juice from your favorite salsa. Re-cover and cook until cheese is bubbly and melted. Serve topped with salsa! I used the Paula Deen salsa posted Feb. 6th and it was tasty!!!
Plated up my chicken, cheese straws, and five-minute Steamfresh broccoli florets looked like a restaurant dish...but cost a lot less, took a lot less effort, and was enjoyed at our own family table! This is a great family pleaser; or something you can serve to impress your guests!
Happy Cooking!
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