Just before I left for England I wrote a post about The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook and how I just HAD to have it! And then I wrote a post that I had indeed ordered the cookbook and I'd also tried making her yummy salsa from her cooking website. The cookbook arrived just before I left for England and I got a chance to browse through it but that was all. I have to just say again that (in my humble opinion) EVERY cookbook should be like this! It truly is beautiful. OK, not every cookbook should (or would need to) have pictures of horses or cows or cowboys or cow-kids for that matter, but all that aside ALL cookbooks should have step by step pictures of the dishes you're gonna make :-) That's what I love about Ree's book. I turn the pages and I just want to try each and every recipe.So, last weekend I tried my very first recipe with Ree. I decided to make her Chicken Spaghetti. I was intrigued that this is the only 'casserole' Marlboro Man will eat - I wondered how good it could really be? You can find the recipe HERE on Ree's cooking site.
(and just for the record, you'll find much nicer photos at that link too)... but here's a few of mine: some of the ingredients...
everything is basically thrown together...
poured in to a dish with more cheese added on top... and popped in to the oven,
and here it is right out of the oven...
and I tried my best to get a good close up 'yummy' shot...
Verdict: I'm going to give this dish 7 out of 10! Overall it is very tasty, the amounts of seasoning and liquid were fine for me, I didn't have to add any more. I did make a couple of changes, first being I didn't have a fryer chicken, I used just two large chicken breasts that I had defrosted the day before, I boiled these in water and then just shredded them. I didn't use the 'stock' from this but opened a can of chicken broth and used that instead. The only thing I would change if I made this again (and I'm sure I will, it makes a great easy dish and would be nice with a crispy green salad and fresh bread) is I would saute the onion and bell pepper. PW doesn't say to do so, but to me the onion just wasn't cooked enough after 45 minutes, and I found the onion a little too over-powering. In saying that, we had more of this heated up on Sunday afternoon and the onion taste was a little less strong then, but I'd still like to cook them first next time just to taste the difference. A little more cheese wouldn't come amiss either!Oh, and hubby's verdict? 8/10 :-)
8 comments:
Hey Denise, the recipe looks yummy. If I remember correctly I checked this recipe out before on PW site, but because I already have a chicken spaghetti recipe that my family loves, I never tried this one. This one looks like it has a white sauce while mine is a red like regular spaghetti.
Glad your enjoying your new cookbooks. I love cookbooks and have a huge collection to prove it. My family always wonder what I do with them now that I don't cook. LOL...I read them of course!
Have a blessed Tuesday!
Hugs,
Cindy
The recipe looks and sounds wonderful. I had a similar recipe called Chicketti (!!!) and it was really good. I think you are right about the onions. The need to soften a bit in butter or olive oil and that brings out the sweetness. I tinker with recipes all the time. Great post, Den!
xoxo
Jane
yum, that's something that I'd like. Might have to make a version of it myself :o)
When I want to take the zing out of onion and soften it before using, I put it in water and stick it in the microwave for a minute or a minute & a half. It starts them off nicely, and does seem to make them taste milder. Very useful if making pizza, so you don't end up with a mouthful of raw onion. Just make sure to squeeze all the excess water out first.
Thanks for your comment :o) I'm still around, not too far away. Just felt like the right time to stop blogging. I've been taking a break from CR too, just been busy offline and not overly crafty. I'll post there soon, just enjoying having a break first.
Hope your mum is doing well this week :o) xx
This looks and sounds yummy! I saw that cookbook on television awhile back. It looks interesting.
Jane
It looks wonderful~I will have to give it a try!
How is your Momma?
Wow that looks delicious. I always need easy and new recipes. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a sweet comment.
Blessings,
Cyndi
I've made the Chicken Spaghetti five or six times now as I find it perfect for making for friends families that are sick or need a meal bought in. I use more chicken breasts (never fryer chicken) and always use the stock from boiling the breasts. I find that the secret to giving this a little extra something is to use Sharp Cheddar and lots of it. A little bit of dijon mustard gives it a little more flavor too. I assemble it in large foil pans so noone has to worry about getting the pan returned to the right person, and hand it to them with instructions on heating it in the oven. I had one family call and request it again when I signed up to take a second meal to them. The boys (14 and 8) loved it!
Did you try the mexican lasagna yet? Now, that one is a real winner.
Hope your mum is continuing to improve.
I have made that many times and I alway soften the onions in butter on the stove. This is a good quick meal. I always do the same thing as you...chicken breast boiled and the chicken stock from that. I add a little more liquid but other than that, it is a keeper:)
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