Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Foil Packs

 

Very simple and easy clean up! 

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Foil Packs

 

2 chicken breasts, cubed

4 medium potatoes, cut in large cubes

1 medium onion, quartered

2 teaspoons oil

2 tablespoons ranch dip mix (from 1-oz package)

4 slices cooked bacon, coarsely chopped

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cut 2 (18x12-inch) sheets of heavy-duty foil. Spray with cooking spray.

Add cut potatoes and onion to a medium bowl. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with ranch dip mix. Add chicken; stir until evenly coated. Place an equal amount of mixture on the center of each sheet of foil. Evenly sprinkle with bacon.

Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.

Place the packs on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and chicken is done. Remove packs from the oven and cut large X across top of each pack. Carefully fold back foil, (contents will be hot and will release steam) and sprinkle potatoes with cheese. Return to the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and starting to brown a little.

Re-purposed Onions! LOL

Have you ever pulled out your onion drawer, bag or basket and found they all have sprouted green tops? Sure! What do you do? If the onion isn't rotten in spots, I go ahead and use/cook it. What if it's a little too far gone for that? I peel the dead pieces away until I get to the last green stalk. Sometimes one onion will yield several sprouts. I did this today. The pieces of onion that I peeled away are going to be caramelized and added to gravy and topped on hamburgers and hot dogs. Nothing goes to waste here!

I harvested 7 onion plants from 3 onions.

I used empty water bottles cut in half for the taller shoots

and one about 2 inches deep for the smaller shoots.

Sit the shoots in water.

In a few days, the shoots will have roots!

This one should have been planted a few days ago,

but we got sidetracked. It will be planted today!

These are the peelings I got from the "rotten" onions.

I cut them up and sauted them for burgers.

Vidalia Onion Rings

Well, this has been a challenging week. My laptop screen got cracked and nobody knows how it happened. OK! I ordered a new laptop and it should be here Wednesday. In the meantime, I am working through the cracks in the screen. I got to show the hubby something and didn't realize the camera was still attached to the USB. Down the camera goes to the floor! Long story short? Camera doesn't work now! My son took the pictures for this post. Not my usual look and angles... thanks for helping Mama out Elliott!

I used some of the Vidalia Onions that I got a couple of weeks ago! I cut thick slices and dredged them in flour. I made a tempura batter (click for the link). Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Dip the floured onion rings in the batter and completely coat. Let them drip off a bit. Drop into hot oil. when brown on the bottom, flip with a couple of wooden skewers and brown the other side. (Like a donuts) Drain on paper towels. Season and serve with your favorite sauce!

Italian Sausage, Onion and Mushroom Baked Subs with Provolone Cheese

My step-daughter, her husband and son, Jack came over yesterday. It was the first time we had been able to get together for Christmas! I fixed the Italian Sausage, Onion and Mushroom Baked Subs with Provolone Cheese. It's in the pictures, but I didn't use peppers this time, because we don't like the peppers on ours. You can of course use whatever you want! :-) 

 Kayleigh and Joe trying to figure out what is in the jar...
15 Bean Soup Mix 

 Jack and Moo Moo

 Jack just wants Moo Moo's camera!

It's hard to get a clear picture of that little face on the move! :-)

Jack handing Granddaddy the wrapping paper trash.
Thank you!

Italian Sausage, Onion and Mushroom Baked Subs

 with Provolone Cheese

Italian Sausage

Onion, sliced

Bell Pepper, sliced (optional)

Mushrooms, sliced

Provolone Cheese, sliced

Soy Sauce

Butter

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic powder

Basil

Salt and Pepper

Squeeze the brats out of their casings and brown.

Remove sausage. Leaving the drippin's.

 Melt about a tablespoon or two of butter.
Add a few shakes of soy sauce, about one or two tablespoons.
Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms.

Cook until a little color appears and the vegetables have softened.

Return the sausage to the pan.

Mix about a 1/2 cup of softened butter with

1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese. Add seasonings to taste...

I scoop the inside of the bread out to give the filling a place to sit.
(Makes them easier to eat, also... and I'm all for that!)

Spread some of the butter mixture on the top and bottom pieces.

Load it up!

Oooops! I almost forgot the cheese... Provolone Cheese!

Wrap them up and stick them in a 350 degree oven for about

10 or 15 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese is melted!

Hot and fresh out of the oven!

OooooLaaaaLaaaa!!!

A good day had by all! :-)

Rustic Country-Style Mashed Taters

Last night, I put the slab of ribs in the oven, and I started wondering what to do for a side. I thought that Pan Fried Potatoes and Onions would be great! I oiled the pan, and I sliced all the potatoes and cut the onions into chunks. I dumped them into the hot pan and added salt, pepper and minced garlic. Well, I got side tracked, and the potatoes stuck to the bottom of the pan really bad stuck. Nothing was burnt, so I decided to just give up on that and add some beef broth to loosen up all those brown bits in the bottom, and I stirred them unto the potato mixture. The hubby look at the pan and asked, "Soooo, what is this?" I said, "Let's just call them 'Rustic Mashed Potatoes'!" "Sounds good to me!" LOL

2 large Baking Potatoes, sliced

4 small Onions, cubed

2 Garlic cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Oil
1 cup Beef Broth

Pour oil in the pan and heat over medium heat, and add potatoes and onions. Cook covered until a crust forms on the bottom of the potatoes, add garlic and flip potatoes. When the potatoes are brown, push the potatoes and onions to one side. Pour half the broth on the browned crust in the bottom of the pan and loosen the bits with a spatula. Push the potato mixture to the other side and repeat the process. When all the crust and brown bits are loosened, stir the potatoes to incorporate all the seasoning from the browned crust and bits. Add more broth if needed. Check for seasonings, and serve, with some Baby Back Ribs!

Baby Back Ribs