Chicken & Biscuits...

Okay, so this is one of my most requested of recipes but it's the kind that you add a little bit of this and a little bit of that to make it work. My hubby and Grandpa can sit down and eat a whole pan full if they are left to fend for themselves and Grandma has made a batch of this! The "recipe" comes from Grandma M. who has made this dish for us for most of our lives- I can't even begin to tell you how many times this was on the table at her house, especially when one of us would request it for our "birthday meal"... since I'm so spoiled rotten she and Momma even came down a couple of years ago to help me make it for the first time for our FFA officer team. They still talk about it and request the recipe! This is one of those comfort foods that is easy to fix ahead of time and have in the freezer to pull out and reheat :)

Ingredients:

• 1- Whole Chicken (Cut Up)- ~ 6+ lbs
• Bay Leaf
• 2 Chicken Bullion cubes
• 1- Bag of Frozen Biscuits
• Milk
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Corn Starch

Directions:
In a large stock pot or crock pot, boil your chicken with the bay leaf and bullion cubes. (You can add an onion and celery to your stock to add additional flavor if you wish). Cook until the chicken falls off the bone. Cut off heat to stock and reserve to make "gravy"- freeze left overs to use for other recipes. Using tongs, pull out all of the pieces of chicken and put into a bowl to cool off until it's cool enough to handle without burning your hands. De-bone and pull off the skin and excess fat from meat and put shredded chunks into another bowl or in the bottom of a 9x13 glass casserole dish. Preheat oven here to 425. Take approximately 2 cups of stock and put in a sauce pan. Add 1 stick of butter, approximately 1 t. salt & 1 t. pepper and 1-2 cups of milk to make a gravy mixture. Add corn starch and heat until thickened. Tweak this until you get a creamy chicken gravy that you think taste good! If you want extra gravy to serve on the side, increase stock and milk as needed to get the amount you desire. Poor hot gravy over hot chicken and place frozen biscuits down on top of the gravy. Bake until the biscuits done- time varies depending on the temperature of your chicken and gravy. Serve with veggies on the side for a complete meal. Another idea is to take and make in smaller disposable casserole dishes (say an 8x8 or even a loaf pan) and bake all and freeze leftovers. Simply thaw and reheat for an easy meal down the road. This is especially helpful for smaller households.

Crock-Pot Bananas Foster

For those of you wanting something a little yummy and a lot decadent! Enjoy over Vanilla Ice-Cream :) Or you could layer it with a piece of vanilla pound cake.... yummy!

• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS
Layer sliced bananas in the bottom of a slow cooker. Combine butter, brown sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl; pour over bananas. Cover and cook on Low for 2 hours. Top bananas with walnuts and coconut during the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you have any left over another idea is to re-heat in the microwave and serve over pancakes with whipped cream :)

Cajun Chicken Pasta

We recently tried and LOVED this dish! This is melt-in-your-mouth, slap-your-spouce, get-in-my-belly, DE-LI-CIOUS! Did I mention that we LOVED this dish? Next time your in a pinch for something for dinner and don't know what to make, try this- it's got a little bit of heat, a creamy sauce and is WONDERFUL! Suggestions for a complete meal: Hearty Salad, Garlic Bread & Bananas Foster for dessert.... YUMMY!

• 4 ounces linguine pasta (or fettachini)
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced, 1/4" thick
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced, 1/4" thick
• 1 small package fresh mushrooms, sliced (Try Portabello!)
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat, add more seasoning if neccissary, but be warry of the heat! In a large skillet or dutch oven, over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes). Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.