Spicy Comfort Food

As promised in my previous, I shall share with you a tasty dinner recipe. This is one of those dishes that can be easily thrown together, at last minute, and it's quite adjustable. I did not come up with this idea. I came upon this dish one evening when I was out with my family. We all were in great need for comfort food as we'd spent the entire day at a wake and were taking a break for sustenance before enduring the evening visiting hours. My solution was a "make your own" burger, which I loaded with tomatoes, avocado, pickles and jalapenos, partnered with a pile of fries. My sister selected Buffalo Chicken pasta bake. At the time, her selection didn't seem very appealing to me. However, the more I thought about it, weeks later, the more brilliant it became. So, a month ago, I searched for viable recipes on Pinterest and I stumbled upon one that I really like. So, here is my version of the recipe.

Ingredients:
1-2 cooked chicken breasts (shredded) or 1 can of chunked chicken breast meat
1 pound pasta
1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (plus extra for sprinkling on top, optional)
1/8 c. - 1/4 c. Tabasco
1/2 c.- 3/4 c. Ranch Dressing ( You could also use Blue Cheese dressing, too.)

So, from looking at my list of ingredients it's clear that this can be made according to personal taste. I happen to really like hot sauce, but not everyone in the household is used to that. This could also be the case if you have children in the home who can't handle the heat. I recommend supplying a bottle of hot sauce at the dinner table for those who wish to have more of a kick to their meal. With this recipe, you can adjust the hot sauce to ranch dressing ratio. When I first tasted this, before placing it in the oven, I found that it was too spicy, so I added more cheese and dressing to cool down the Tabasco. Also, I used canned chicken, because that is what I had on hand, but if you have left over cooked chicken breast, that would also work.

First, I put the pasta on to boil and while I had that going I mixed the Tabasco with dressing in a small bowl. I set that aside.

Once, my pasta was cooked and drained, I placed the pasta, cheese and chicken in a large bowl, along with the sauce and mixed it all together.

Next, I place the pasta in a greased casserole dish, topped the pasta with extra cheese and baked in a preheated oven, set at 350 deg. F. and baked for 17 minutes.

You can see where I added the extra ranch dressing at the last minute. This tasted great and was super easy to throw together and it was very filling. If you're looking for a comforting dish that has a bit of a kick and is something apart from your normal comfort food, give this a try.

Next time, I'll tell you all about trying to get my office together and the harsh less I learned from procrastinating- it's a doosie! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

A Moment of Bliss

The view outside of my kitchen window. I love this view!

So, yes, it's been a while. I wanted to post yesterday, but I ran out of time. I do that a lot. However, I did sit down with my idea notebook the other day, and I did some brainstorming. Sometimes, I  find myself relying on the old tricks to writing that were taught to me by my English teacher back in the seventh grade. At the time, it was tedious and vexing. Now, I find that not only is it tremendously helpful, but that those lessons deeply embedded themselves in the parts of my brain that I take for granted.
Lately, I have been spending a good deal of my time preparing for the winter. As you might remember from my posts last year, the storm season started early and lasted a long time. The first huge snow storm happened the night before Thanksgiving and the final storm happened in the Spring. In between those months, we endured a few blizzards. So, it should be no surprise that I am in preparation mode.
I spent the first part of the afternoon preparing the meal for tonight- General Tso's Chicken in the Crockpot. There is something deeply comforting about a Crockpot. When I use one, I know that dinner will be ready on time and it will be good. Yes, I still have to make a dessert, that will happen after I take my time to post. Right now, I am enjoying the mellow quiet of the house before everyone comes home in the evening. I should say that I am not required to make a dessert, but I really, really need something chocolatey. Therefore, I shall make a chocolate pudding cake. It's easy to throw together and is insanely tasty. I was going to write a post about the lovely and easy dinner that I made last night. Instead, I find myself enjoying the moment of writing again. I will share that recipe on my next post.
It is gloomy and grey outside, but in here it is cheerful. There's the smell of a pumpkin spice candle and a Crockpot meal cooking on the counter. I'm listening to Gilmore Girls in the background. I've been watching a marathon, via Netflix, all day. there is something about the show that just relaxes me. Even though I've seen these episodes countless times, I still fall back on them for entertainment. The bliss that I am experiencing comes from the fact that tonight's meal is finally going, it will be ready when everyone is ready to settle down to eat and I won't find myself rushing to get it all together at the last minute. I have to make rice and broccoli. but that is easy to accomplish. I am also finding delight in finally admitting to myself that it is okay to not be Martha Stewart, or even Betty Crocker. I am only one person. A person who does not have a team of interns racing around to make my life function seamlessly. All the pretty pictures on Pinterest and the perfection displayed in magazines were mostly accomplished after many, many failed attempts, perfect lighting and Photoshop. Sometimes, the soup might need more salt, or the burritos might need a little less hot sauce. Everyone's taste is different, We do our best, and that is all you can do. That is all people desire, not perfection. Life doesn't need to look like it does in those carefully crafted magazine photos. Your friends and family are just happy that you care so much to try to make things nice for them.
Through this recent discovery, I actually enjoy myself in the kitchen far more. Now that I no longer pressure myself to make everything pretty, and just make things nice, life is so much simpler. That affirmation has brought forth total bliss.
Next time, I'll share the tasty recipe for the meal that I threw together last night. It was super easy to make and very tasty! Until next time~ Toodahloo!