Hot Almond Chicken Salad

It's the husband here, I love to cook and bake too, so here we go with my inaugural post on Fay's foodie blog. This is one of our absolute favorites when we are tired and looking for a quick, comfy dinner! Here's the recipe, enjoy!

1-1/4 cup Helman's Light Mayo
18 oz diced chicken breast meat (if you really want to save time, this is 3 packages of the Tyson pre-cooked, diced chicken in the pouches)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup of fresh grated parmagiano reggiano
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 stalks of diced celery
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Salt and pepper to taste (if you use real parmagiano, you won't need to add salt)
About 10 buttery crackers

Mix everything but the crackers in a large mixing bowl. Spread evenly in a sprayed 13 X 9 pan. Crumble buttery crackers over the top. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes. That's it!!

Here it is after baking, hot, bubbly, and delicious!!

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Courtesy of Pilsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook

Cake
1-3/4 C granulated sugar
1-3/4 C butter, softened
6 eggs
2 C powdered sugar
2-1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa
2 C chopped walnuts

Glaze
3/4 C powdered sugar
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa
4 to 6 t milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 C fluted bundt pan; lightly flour. In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, gradually add in 2 C of powdered sugar until well blended. With spoon, stir in flour, cocoa and nuts until well blended. Spoon batter into the pan and spread evenly.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edge begins to pull away from the pan. (since the cake has a soft filling, you cannot do the usual toothpick test). Cool upright in pan on cooling rack 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn cake upside down onto serving platter and cool at least 2 hours.

In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired consistency. Spoon over cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store cake tightly covered!

This batter was like velvet after I added the powdered sugar!!

The center was so fudgy and moist!! Will make this one again!!

Quote of the day:

"Life has a bright side and a dark side, for the world of relativity is composed of light and shadows. If you permit your thoughts to dwell on evil, you yourself will become ugly. Look only for the good in everything so you absorb the quality of beauty."

~ Paramahansa Yogananda

Pesto Ravioli Dinner

Made a yummy dinner with organic ravioli and fresh pesto!

This brand was very tasty and cooked up quickly!

We grow our own basil and it's super easy! Just plant in a pot like you would any flower and water as needed. When it flowers, be sure to pick the flowers off to keep it growing and fresh. It had just rained so the leaves aren't looking as fresh as usual.

Used good parm. cheese and grated it fresh. I find this truly enhances the flavor.

Whips up fast in the food processor and smells so amazing!

Pesto Sauce
2/3 C fresh basil leaves
1/3 C good grated parmesan
1/3 C good olive oil
2 T pine nuts
1/8 t pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
Add to taste up to 1/2 t salt


Toss all in food processor and blend! Wait to add the salt b/c if you are using good parm it will be saltier and you might not need any. Stays good for up to 1 week or 3 months in the freezer. If you freeze, top with olive oil to keep from turning brown.