Combining Flavors for Impact

First of all, let's just say, "CHEESE, GLORIOUS CHEESE"!! Think about it... when the cheese provides all the flavor to a dish, you know it's going to be amazing. What happens when you combine three independently strong flavors of cheese? A creamy flavor explosion, that's what!!

Three Cheese Chicken & Asparagus Bake

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 oz. Goat Cheese, soft
3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Sharp White Cheddar, finely grated

1) Season chicken thighs on each side with salt and pepper. Preheat a medium to large skillet and the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs to skillet and brown on each side until cooked through.

2) Remove chicken from the skillet and place in an oven proof casserole dish.

3) Trim ends of asparagus to remove the woody part of the stem. If you start breaking a stem from the bottom up you'll feel where the woody part stops as it will snap instead of just break. Trim all stems an equal distance up from the bottom. Once all stems are trimmed, cut diagonally in 2" pieces.

4) Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once rolling, place asparagus in the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Set a timer to be sure you don't go over 3 minutes! When the timer goes off, strain the asparagus and place immediately in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking and keeps the bright green color.

5) Place the asparagus over the chicken, keeping the majority towards the center.

6) Using the chicken broth, deglaze the pan that the chicken was cooked in, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that has stuck to the bottom. Simmer until reduced to approximately 3/4 cup.

7) Turn off heat and quickly whisk in sour cream. Add the goat cheese and Parmesan and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Pour sauce over asparagus and chicken. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top.

8) Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted. Check at 20 minutes as over cooking will cause sauce to separate. Although still just as delicious, it won't be as pretty!

This is a wonderfully rich and flavor packed comforting dish that will end up on the menu quite often! I'm going to experiment with different vegetables like broccoli and green beans, maybe even shredded brussel sprouts, but the cheeses will remain the same!

Mac & Cheese Done Right

Why do tastes change? Why do we not like something for so long then all of a sudden be like "Oh my gosh, I have to have that now, like right now"? I find it strange and bewildering sometimes!! I've never like macaroni and cheese other than in college when I lived off the stuff because it was only 25 cents per box and fed me for two days! Since then, I've never been a fan so not sure why, all of a sudden when I can't have pasta I'm "craving" macaroni and cheese! Well crave no more, not only did this satisfy every bit of craving, it's a new favorite!


Cauli & Cheese 
(Serves 4-6)

1.5 lb Cauliflower (1 lrg head)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1) Remove core from cauliflower and cut florets into small bight sized pieces. Keep them about the size of macaroni, maybe a little bigger. Only keep a minimal amount of stem on the floret as they don't soften at the same rate as the florets.

2) Fill a large pot of water about 1/2 full of water and add salt. Bring to a boil and add cauliflower to the pot. Boil evenly for 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Pour into a strainer then back into the pot to keep warm.

3) In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth and blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese a small portion at a time until melted, then add another small amount. Continue adding cheese and stirring until all cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

4) Pour sauce over cauliflower and gently stir to coat cauliflower evenly. Pour cauliflower into 10x10 casserole dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the top.

5) Bake in 375F oven for 15 minutes until top cheese is nice and golden and casserole is bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Calories: 403
Fat: 34g
Carb: 10g  Net Carb: 7g
Protein: 18g


I can't wait to experiment with this and see what delights I can come up with! Some lobster will definitely be added for a full entree, and of course some Spam needs to get in there, and oh, perhaps a pork rind sprinkling on top for some texture! I'll come back with some updates soon!

Creamy Garlic Goodness

The title alone is enough to have me all warm and comfy inside! Comfort food is different for everybody and when you find a new way of eating finding new comfort food is oh so important! I have now found mine and couldn't be more satisfied!


Creamy Garlic Chicken & CauliMash
Serves 4

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
6 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
3 cups Cauliflower, chopped

1) Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chopped cauliflower to the boiling water and cook until soft. You can't overcook like potatoes so don't worry about them too much!

2) While cauliflower is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook thighs until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Slice mushrooms and mince garlic while chicken is cooking! Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2) Lower heat to medium and add garlic to same skillet. Stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute until they have wilted nicely, about 5 minutes.

3) Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up all the little bits and pieces that didn't come up from the mushroom moisture. Add 2 oz. of the cream cheese and stir until it's all melted. Add the heavy cream and stir until all mixed and creamy.  Turn the heat to low and let simmer gently until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

4) While sauce is simmering, strain cauliflower, shaking out as much water as possible.  Place in a food processor with 4 oz of cream cheese and process until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5) Add Parmesan cheese to skillet and stir until completely melted. Add chicken thighs back to the skillet and spoon some gravy over them. Let simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Serve chicken and gravy over CauliMash, sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Calories: 318
Fat: 26g
Carbs: 9g  Net: 6g
Protein: 12g

This will be my Go To Comfort Food meal, my Quick Company is Coming meal, my Family Dinner Night meal and my Oh My Gosh Look At The Time meal! It's also pretty versatile with pork chops, chicken breasts and cube steaks (beef broth instead of chicken broth) so experiment and find your comfort pleasure!