Beef and Biscuit Pie

This is a fun twist on pot pie that your family will be happy to eat again and again!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
3/4 cup butter milk

2 pounds ground beef
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup white mushroom chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1 bag frozen corn
1/2 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 beaten egg
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chili powder and cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut the shortening in with a pastry blender until it resembles crumbles. Stir the butter milk in little by little. (Just use my hand for this) once a dough has formed and pulled away from the sides turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed 10 times. Place back in the bowl to rest. While the dough rests place the ground beef in a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat to brown. Once therapy starts to brown add the mushroom, peppers, onions and carrots. Let this cook until the meat has browned completely. Add the corn and let cook for another few minutes then remove from the heat and drain. Add the egg, tomato sauce, sour cream, spices and 1 cup of cheese. Let this sit while you prepare the dough for the pies. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts and roll them into a 9 inch circle (roughly) and place 1 in each of two 9 inch pie plates. Fill each one with half of the beef mixture and top each one with the rest of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the biscuit crust is crispy and flaky! For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

This is my spin on a classic French dish!

5 boneless, skinless chicken breast
Zest and juice from have a lemon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups brown rice
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped
1/2 cup almonds chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic minced
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

5 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh rosemary

Pan drippings
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth

Add the rice to a medium sauce pot with the chicken broth and water. bring this to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Start your knife about 1 inch from the end lengthwise and slit the chicken almost all the way through, then inside that cut slit each side toward the edge almost all the way through to make a nice big pocket in the center of the chicken. In a small mixing bowl combine the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, oregano, lemon zest and juice, vinegar and olive oil and mix well. Place the chicken in a freezer bag and pour in the marinade and place in the
refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Once the rice is cooked it needs to cool a little so place it in a large mixing bowl and put it in the refrigerator until it is cool enough to handle. While the rice is cooling chop the almonds, dried cranberries garlic and rosemary. Shred the cheese and set this all aside. Peel and chop the potatoes and coat with police oil, salt, pepper and cumin. Remove the rosemary from the stem and sprinkle over the potatoes and set aside. Once the rice is cool enough to handle mix in the almond mixture and cheese. Remove the chicken from the marinade and stuff liberally with the rice mixture. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Put the chicken in and let this cook for about 15 minutes. While the chicken is on the stove top place the potatoes in a 450 degree oven. After 15 minutes put the chicken in the oven. Let this cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside to rest. Place the pan back on the stove top over medium high heat. Add the flour to the pan dripping and let this cook for about 2 minutes whisking constantly. Whisk in the chicken broth and let simmer until thickened. Broil the potatoes for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and serve. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Creamy Shrimp Pizza

There are so many different ways to make a pizza and this is just another one of those GREAT recipes!

1 pound shrimp pealed and deveined
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup grated Parmesean cheese
1 cup chopped baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Your favorite pizza dough (when I make pizza dough usually have have some left over so I throw it in the freezer and use it for my next pizza)

Add the cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, garlic, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Mix well with a hand mixer and set aside. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Add the pepper and onions. Let this cook for a couple of minutes. While this is cooking chop the shrimp into bite size pieces and add them to the pepper and onion mixture. Add the rest of the basil and oregano then salt and pepper to taste. Roll out the pizza dough to fit a baking sheet. Place this in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Once the crust is done remove it from the oven and spread with the cream cheese mixture, evenly layer on the shrimp mixture and serve. This is a fun and inventive pizza dish that will have your family asking for seconds!

Peanut Thai Chicken with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Peanut sauce is very classic in Thai cooking and it is very flavorful and satisfying!

2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons ground ginger
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
2 cups broccoli florets
1 medium onion chopped

Add the rice, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, butter, cayenne, ginger and garlic in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Let this cook for a couple of minutes then add the water, bring to a boil then reduce heat cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. In a small mixing bowl put in the soy sauce, vinegar and peanut butter. Mix well and set aside. Add the coconut oil to a heavy bottom skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the chicken, ginger and garlic. Stir constantly for 5 minutes or until the chicken is browned on the outside. Add in the onions, broccoli, peanut butter mixture and peanuts. Let tis cook over medium heat until the broccoli is tender about another 5-7 minutes. Serve over the rice and enjoy! For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com