My momma never cooked liked this.

Growing up in a Portuguese home my mom never made "American dishes" that's what she called chicken pot pie. So when I got married I had chicken pot pie and honest thought "oh man great comfort food". So off I went to figure out how to make a super yummy pot pie that would be yummier then any other I've had and without the whole canned soup thing. Here we go the recipe I use and dare say the tastiest.

Chicken pot pie

1 rotisserie chicken ( I pull the meat off and shred it)

1 cup green beans

 1 cup of corn

You can add 1 cup frozen green peas, carrots, peas, and celery, but hubby doesn't like those so I leave them out

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions                                                                                           Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)               

 

                       In a saucepan, combine chicken, and veggies (if using corn and canned green beans then you can skip over this. Instead just combine meat, beans, and corn then set aside). Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside         

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.              

Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.  Brush with egg wash to make pretty and shiny.               

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.               

Tada comfort food done right. Hope you all enjoy.

Encouragement to chew on:

Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Channeling my latin side...que the music and hip movement!

Alright who am I kidding I'm full blooded Portuguese so not much channeling going on. Last month we went over a friends Christmas get together and a beautiful mama there was making empanadas and my husband was very interested in it and decided to ask her 20 questions on what she was doing. Seeing him ask her all those questions I honestly started to cringe..(I'll let you in on a secret I hate to fry food, not because of fat and stuff but because I always think it's going to spit at me) So the whole way home he said "Mel do you think you could make those?" Well how am I going to turn him down so I told him I would. Today was the day...I put on my big girl pants and fry some empanadas and not only did I learn how to tame the oil, but they were so crazy good I'm sold.

I went pretty basic on my first try, nothing fancy.

Ingredients:

My basic taco seasoned meat that I make

Shredded cheese

Threw in some mash potatoes (hey why not)

Last by not least shells...(hint they are in the freezer section not the international aisle or bread section as I first looked)

So we begin

Fill shell, fold over and crimp with fork

Keep it going...thankfully not rocket science

Filled up my dutch oven with veg table oil until super hot. Then turned done heat to maintain heat. Time to fry up these puppies.

Fry till they look done..crispy look to them

and they were kind to me not one of them spit oil at me.

And I was afraid of frying...silly girl. Now that I've got that under my belt I see some crazy creations ahead of me...breakfast, dinner, and you bet even dessert..can't you picture it some nutella chocolate, marshmallows and crushed up graham cracker inside all melted and gooey....drooling over here.

Let me know if you try them..so much easier then you think.

Encouragement to chew on:

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
Albert Einstein

Oh my goodness muffins......yep that's right that's what I call them!

I felt experimental this morning and oh my am I happy I did...these muffins are amazing..I guess they should be call Peanut Butter, Banana, Pumpkin, and Chocolate chip muffins..but they are rightfully called "Oh My Goodness Muffins" they are beyond good, and moist, and filling and hey hey now healthy. I also discovered  that adding  half the brown sugar at the end of the mixing creates a spectacular, crunchy exterior on the top of the muffins...did I tell you these are amazing oh wait till you try them.

Oh My Goodness Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (divided in half)

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup of banana puree

1 egg

1 cup of Whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup of chocolate chips (I use semisweet)

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees coat 12 cup muffin tin or line them.

In a large mixing bowl mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar with the peanut butter, pumpkin, banana puree and egg using a wooden spoon.

Put the flour, baking powder and soda along with salt in to a zipper lock bag and shake to blend well. Now add to with wet mixture, and stir just to combine (batter will be lumpy DO NOT OVERMIX, now add remaining brown sugar and stir once or twice. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until brown exactly 18 minutes in my oven. Turn muffins out on rack to cool. Pour yourself a cup of milk and enjoy. Did I tell you these are so yummy?

Encouragement to chew on:

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."~ Alexander Graham Bell

Be sure to join the fun at Sugar Bean Bakers Linky party...here you go http://sugarbeanbakers.blogspot.com/2012/01/watcha-got-linky-party.html

http://comfyinthekitchen.com/2012/01/feasting-in-fellowship-friday-link-up-stuffed-pepper-soup/

Fun recipe, the kids loved....Baked Egg Puffs

 My munchkins loved these cute, puffy little egg souffles. I make them in ramekins so that we each get our own puff (makes each kiddo feel pretty special)..best part they are good for them too. I paired them up with some crazy delish muffins that I'll add in another post.

Baked Egg Puffs recipe

Ingredients:

Nonstick spray
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree  (trying to use up all the canned pumpkin I bought)
4 tbsp of shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 tbsp of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400. Coat 4 ramekins with spray and set on baking sheet.
In large bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, pumpkin puree, cheese, flour,baking powder, and salt until combined. Divide the mixture among the cups, sprinkle some more cheese on the top and bake until puffed and eggs are no longer runny in the center about 15-18 minutes...(every oven cooks different keep eye on it after 15 minutes)
There you go a simple healthy breakfast that looks fancy enough to serve at a brunch...enjoy

(Peanut enjoying his, he's my slow eater so I was able to get a picture of him)

Gotta love that silly smile

Encouragement to chew on:

When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place."~ Unknown

 

 

 

http://comfyinthekitchen.com/2012/01/feasting-in-fellowship-friday-link-up-stuffed-pepper-soup/

 

 

New giveaway....Yeehaw ladies...come on over.

My new giveaway....drum roll please........

One of my favorite books, grab your favorite apron, and some cowgirl boots and sit back and read this adorable book full of ideas, recipes, cute little sayings. Have you all heard of them..Love these girls!

Mompreneurs” Serena Thompson and Teri Edwards have achieved super-success, winning a following with their family-friendly food and craft projects. In a few short years, they established an annual antiques fair, created a line of products, and became contributing editors at Country Living. And fellow Farm Chicks across the country have embraced them, inspired by their warm motto: Live Well, Laugh Often, Cook Much. Now, fans can enjoy the duo's first book, which serves up 50 tasty recipes and 19 easy projects to bring Farm Chick style to your kitchen.

They have the cutest ideas and fun recipes...not to mention that they call themselves "Farm Chicks" which won their way to my heart in the first place. Here's some examples of their cuteness.

(Hearts of palm salad...seriously on my menu)

(What an adorable idea for winter...exceptionally with kiddos)

(Ways to make something out of nothing)

(Last but not least one of my favorites picnic pies)

Here's what you do to enter:

Mandatory Entry: Follow my blog and leave a comment of what your favorite thing to cook is.
Optional Extra Entries: ( only after completing mandatory entry) You can do any or all of the following entries below for one extra entry each. Please leave a separate comment below for each one you do so I can keep track. Don’t forget to leave your email so I can contact you if you are the winner!

1. “Like” Joyfulmelody on Facebook here's the link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joyfulmelody/176433765780276

    2.  Mention this giveaway on Facebook using the share button above.

    3. Subscribe via email or RSS feed and never miss a post or tell me you already do.

    4. Last but not least, write a post about this giveaway on YOUR blog. (Leave a link to your post.)

The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be contacted by email. Please respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen

Dreamy chocolate cobbler hit the spot

So it's been cold here in Massachusetts lately which I know what you are thinking "It's the east coast of course it's cold" but just last week we were enjoying 50 degree weather, and for as much as I enjoy winter here in the east coast I was spoiled by the warm weather. So with this brisk change in weather and now freezing, (maybe something to do with being pregnant) I want warm, gooey, comforting yummies to fill my belly. I've made this before a chocolate cobbler and LOVE it, so here it again debut on this cold day. I like it so much but figured I like you more and would share the recipe. So here you go lovies.

Chocolate Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients:

2 stk	butter
1 1/4 c	sugar
1 1/2 c	self rising flour
1 tsp	vanilla
3/4 c	milk
CHOCOLATE LAYER
1 c	sugar
6 Tbsp	cocoa powder
2 c	boiling water

In a bowl, mix together the 1 1/4 cups of sugar, flour, vanilla and milk. Once the butter is melted

Pour the batter over the butter, but do not stir.

In a separate bowl mix together the cocoa and remaining sugar. Sprinkle cocoa/sugar mixture on top of batter. Do not stir.

Pour the 2 cups of boiling water on top of that (don't stir) and bake for 30-45 minutes. I bake mine until I have a nice golden brown crust. In my oven this usually take about 35 minutes. Serve warm. Great with ice cream reheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 glass baking dish, melt the two sticks of butter in the oven.  

1

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 glass baking dish, melt the two sticks of butter in the oven.

2

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix together the 1 1/4cups of sugar, flour, vanilla and milk. Once the butter is melted pour the batter over the butter, but do not stir.

3

In a separate bowl mix together the cocoa and remaining sugar.

4

Sprinkle cocoa/sugar mixture on top of batter. Do not stir.

 

5

Pour the 2 cups of boiling water on top of that (don't stir) and bake for 30-45 minutes. I bake mine until I have a nice golden brown crust. In my oven this usually take about 35 minutes. Serve warm. Great with ice cream

 

 

P.s I bought brand new boots...going back to my roots ;0)

I might have been born in Massachusetts, but being raised on a farm in California made me who I am...and if your wondering they are the most comfy boots ever.

 

                           Encouragement to chew on:

 

New beginnings start with the Word of God! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

Ritz cracker crusted haddock

Ritz cracker crusted haddock recipe

Ingredients:

1 roll Ritz crackers
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

1/2 stick of butter (melted)
Mayonnaise (just a little to coat the fish and adhere the crumbs)
1-2 lb. white fish fillets (haddock, hake, cod, etc.)

    13 x 9 inch baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place haddock in greased pan. Melt butter and add crumbs and spices, and mix well. Add cheese mix. Spread thin layer of mayonnaise on all sides of fillets. Roll fillets in cracker crumbs. Place in baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fish is tender. (Option - garnish with lemon slices before placing in oven.)
Serves 4- 6 people the best tasting fish they ever ate serve with veggies and rice pilaf! Enjoy!

                                   Encouragement to chew on:

Christianity is not the life you live for God. It's the life that Jesus lived for you and the power he gives you by the Holy Spirit. - Driscoll