Yesterday's wind chill here in Cincinnati was -30 degrees.

-30!  Holy guacamole!  We don't get that kind of cold around here very often.

Just thinking about it makes me want to snuggle up with Echo and Ollie by the fireplace, drink hot chocolate, and not move all day.

Two things:  I don't have a fireplace, and I haven't sat in one place all day since early November 2014, before I became a mommy.

We have been fighting the cold temps for a few weeks in the Cincinnati area, so I decided to cozy up with a little TGI Friday's copycat: "Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp".

Warm, cheesy, and a little spicy, this dinner is a go-to all winter long.
And all spring.  And summer. And fall too, I guess.

No judgment here.

Here's how I made it!

I threw together an easy marinade of olive oil, red pepper flakes, parsley (I only had dried on hand, but fresh would be super yummy), minced garlic, and pepper.

Simply mix everything together and pour over thawed and tenderized chicken breasts and shrimp, bagged separately.  I just don't like the idea of marinading them together.  Also, if shrimp is not something you have on hand, sizzling chicken by itself is fantastic!

I made my marinade the night before and let everything sit overnight. Sometimes I throw together the marinade an hour before dinner,  though, and it's perfect!

I am ready to start cooking!  I've assembled my ingredients: an onion, 2 bell peppers, sliced American cheese, and a white, creamy Mexican cheese.

I have had some trouble finding a Mexican cheese in my grocery store in the past; they just switch out their products so often.  The best that I've found is pictured here- it is called Chihuahua cheese.  It is white and creamy and wonderful.  I have used a Sargento Mexican cheese blend before as well and it was fine.

Start off by slicing up your bell peppers and onions.  "Julienne" is the term, I believe.  Think fajita-style.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  I like to use my big cast iron skillet.  Throw in the peppers and onions and season them with a little salt and pepper.

One of my favorite smells in the kitchen!

Saute the veggies until they begin to get soft.  Then pull them out, place them in a bowl, and set them aside.  We will add them back in at the end.  

We are going to cook the chicken and shrimp in the same pan as the veggies.  I love the flavor; plus, it saves dishes!

Saute the chicken on medium until golden brown and completely cooked.  This will take about 6 minutes on each side.

Add the shrimp to the skillet for the last few minutes of cook time.  They will cook quickly!

It is starting to get a little crowded in here!  It smells SO GOOD!

It is time to get things sizzling!  Either wipe out the skillet you have been using or get out a new, medium-sized skilled.  Having cast iron for these last steps is really helpful, but I have used a nonstick skillet in the past with success. 

Continue to work with the skillet on medium heat (like a 4 out of 10).  First, place a layer of the American cheese on the bottom of the pan.  I like to get VERY generous with my cheese in this particular recipe (well, in any recipe, really).  Then, spread out a layer of the grated Chihuahua cheese.  I apologize for not getting a picture of this step.

Sizzling chicken and shrimp makes me forget myself.

Place the onions and peppers over the warm, sizzling cheese.  Then pile the chicken and shrimp on top.

Come to Mama!

I served the sizzling chicken and shrimp with mashed potatoes and a fresh salad.  Soul Food Time, baby!

Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp

Ingredients for Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 chicken breasts, trimmed and tenderized
- 15-20 shrimp, cleaned, deveined with no tails

Other Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chihuahua cheese or similar Mexican white cheese
- 5 slices American cheese
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:
1.  Combine all marinade ingredients.  Pour marinade over chicken and shrimp, bagged separately.  Marinade for at least one hour.

2.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  Slice onions and peppers and add to skillet.  Season the onion and pepper medley with salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes, or until soft.  Take the veggies out of the pan and set aside in a small bowl.

3.  Leave the skillet on medium heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil if needed.  Add chicken breasts to the skillet and saute for 6 minutes on each side.  When the chicken is nearly golden brown and cooked through, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until they are pink and start to curl.

4.  Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet on medium heat (or wipe out the one you are currently using, setting the chicken and shrimp aside).

5.  Lay the slices of American cheese on the bottom of the skillet.  Sprinkle the chihuahua cheese over the American cheese.  Layer the onions and peppers over the cheeses, and add the chicken and shrimp on top.  Allow everything to heat until you can hear the cheese "sizzle".

6.  Serve immediately.  Pair with a salad, mashed potatoes, or both!

Cheesy Shrimp Nachos.  Need I say more?

A few years ago, after a particularly exciting and interesting week of teaching, I determined that my Friday night desperately needed nachos.  Cheese, you see, is my ultimate comfort food.  It is the way to my heart. It solves any problem.  On that fateful Friday evening I discovered a recipe on Pinterest by Shaken Together that has been single-handedly responsible for a diet- or two- over the years.  I have added a few of my own twists to her recipe to make this delicious concoction I bring before you today.  I've found that if I pair it with a Caesar salad, I don't feel quite as bad about eating half of the pan.

Not that I felt that bad about it to begin with.

By the way, if you don't follow me on Pinterest, you can find me here!

Once upon a time, some of our friends actually offered to pay us to make these nachos for them for dinner.  We declined the money, of course.  We could eat these once a week!

So I guess I should start with the most important thing: CHEESE!

What would life be without it?

These delicious nachos will require heaps of both Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese.  
Let's start with beautiful, creamy Monterey Jack.

Kick things off by sprinkling about 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese all over a pan of your favorite tortilla chips.  I try to restrain myself to only using about 3/4 of the bag of chips.

Also, it is best to use a large sheet pan with edges. 

​I love it when a nacho recipe asks you to use a pan with edges.

Pop that into the oven at 350 degrees for just a few minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Meanwhile, season and heat up the shrimp.  I like to keep it simple: olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.

I decided to buy pre-cooked salad shrimp and just heat it up.  During the work week, I just don't have the physical and mental fortitude to take on fresh shrimp.

Just sayin'.

 Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on low heat.  Add a clove of minced garlic (or a 1/2 teaspoon if you can buy it in the jar).

Season your shrimp in a bowl with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Add them to the garlic/oil mixture and let 'em heat up for a while.

Don't forget your chips!  I always set a timer because, inevitably, I will be distracted by Reed, or Oliver, or my phone, or a song on the radio... 

Say it with me! "I am a person with self control.  I will not eat these chips until they are finished."  Repeat this mantra for as long as necessary.

Time to start on the glorious cheese sauce!  Add 2/3 cup of milk and 3 ounces of cream cheese to a medium sauce pot to get things rolling.

Time for more cheese!  I always find myself adding more than my recipe instructs (darn temptation) and then my sauce is too thick.  If that happens to you, just add a little milk to the sauce to thin it out.

I'm going to add 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 2/3 cup of Monterey Jack, and 3 cloves of minced garlic to the milk.

Keep a careful eye on your sauce as everything melts.  Stir it often, and don't let the heat get too high!  You know it is ready when it is smooth and at a thin enough consistency to pour easily over the nacho chips.

As you stir the cheese sauce, cut the shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces.

Go ahead and spread the shrimp over the baked cheese chips.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of parm on the chips as well, and heat your oven to broil.

Time to pour the cheese sauce!  I think I hear a heavenly chorus!

Pop the pan back into the oven for just a couple of minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the chips are beginning to brown.  Keep an eye on them- they'll burn quickly!

While the chips are in the broiler, I'll give you a little update on the current state of things.  First of all, and I find I am way more excited about this than everyone else I talk to, I repotted my beautiful classroom ivy plant!  He (yes, he) was getting pretty cooped-up in his old pot.  Look at how beautiful he looks!

I wonder if my students will notice it when I take it back?

Secondly, Reed-man is practicing his senior picture pose.  I have a few new camera things, and he is a fun test subject.  He is keeping busy with all of his construction toys and blocks until spring shows up.  Someday.  It is snowing today... the 16th of April and it is 39 and snowing!!

Obviously, there is not much going on around here.  Which is kind of a good thing!  With Jacob's new job, my coursework at Miami, and the 4th quarter kicking off at work, I'm happy to take "boring" right now.

Plus... I have shrimp nachos!

Look at all of that beautiful cheese!  Dig in, baby!

Creamy, warm, deliciously cheesy, these nachos hit my cheesy/salty craving any time!

I can't stop taking pictures!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag of tortilla chips
- 1 2/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Approximately 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 8 ounces of salad shrimp (1 small bag)
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread about 1/2-3/4 bag of tortilla chips on a large sheet pan.

2. Sprinkle 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese all over the chips.  Bake until cheese is melted, just a couple of minutes.

​3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil on low heat in a medium skillet.  Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the oil.  Season the shrimp with a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Heat the shrimp in the garlic oil for a few minutes.  Set aside.

5.  Pull your chips out of the oven and heat 2/3 cup of milk in a sauce pot on low heat.  Add 3 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of shredded parm, 2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack and 3 cloves of minced garlic.  Stir until melted, add milk to thin if needed.

6.  Heat oven to broil.  Spread shrimp on chips along with 1/3 cup of shredded parm.  Drizzle cheese sauce all over chips.  Broil for a couple of minutes, until cheese is bubbly and chips begin to brown.

Happy February, friends!  In honor of this month of love, I am sharing my husband's all-time favorite dinner: chicken pot pie! Steamy potatoes, hot veggies, and tender chicken are baked in a flavorful, thick gravy and tucked in a flaky crust.  This pot pie is soul-satisfying and addicting.  You can't just have one slice, I'll warn ya!

​Last week, my husband, Jacob, returned home from a week-long business trip.  I asked him what I could do to help him relax when he got home, and he replied, "Please have pop and food".

Um, ok.  I think I can handle that... (like we never have pop and food??)

So I decided to be super impressive and wonderful and make him his favorite dinner, buy 3 kinds of pop, and bake his favorite cake.

Maybe after the next business trip he can be a little more specific.

This chicken pot pie recipe belongs to my mother-in-law, AKA "Chef Cha-cha".  Believe it or not, she taught me how to make her son's favorite dinner.  It was sort of a requirement for marriage.

This chicken pot pie takes a little bit of time and love to put together.  It is always best to have everything chopped and ready before you begin cooking.  Be sure to have at least a half-hour of interrupted time set aside to prepare the pie, too.  It is TOTALLY worth it, trust me!

I started off by peeling and dicing two potatoes into bite-sized cubes.  I always microwave the potatoes for just a couple of minutes (until they can be pierced easily with a fork) to keep them from being too hard and under-cooked in the pie.

Shameless product recommendation: I absolutely LOVE my Pampered Chef Micro-Cookers.  I have both the small and large sizes, and I have had them for years and years and years.  The small one is perfect for the two potatoes.

Dice up some onion, about 1/2 cup.

This next part can look different each time I make the pie.  Sometimes, I will bake a few chicken breasts or even use leftover chicken depending on how it is seasoned.  Lately, though, I've just picked up a rotisserie chicken.  It's already so flavorful and tender, and sometimes I can make it stretch for another meal.  I've used dark or white meat in this pie and both are wonderful.

Tear up the sections of the rotisserie you would like to use, about 3 cups.

Well, look who decided to show up (here's my surprised face)!
​
"Do I smell chicken?"

The final bit of prep I do before cooking is to microwave or steam the pack of veggies for a minute or two and then mix them with the potatoes.  I just don't like under-cooked veggies in my creamy chicken pot pie!

Okay- time to cook!  Begin with butter, of course.  About 1/3 of a cup.

Melt the butter on medium heat and add the onions.  Allow the onions to simmer for a few minutes.

Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of flour.

Stir the mixture for a few minutes.  Everything will need to be stirred constantly for a little bit now.  Don't leave your pan!

Reed is enjoying a high-tech night tonight.  I can see him easily in the living room from the stove.  Every once in a while we duct tape "roads" on the floor.  Reed will pick some of my old pans to use as "mountains" and drive his cars around.

Yes, I am willing to duct tape my floors for time to make this chicken pot pie.

Go ahead and season the flour-onion-butter mixture with a teaspoon of salt and about a 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.  We will probably add more seasoning later, but this is a good place to start.

Ok, time to add the next set of ingredients.  Add about 1 3/4 cup of chicken stock...

Reed decided to join me for a bit here.  He is adding 2/3 cup of milk.

Stir in a can of cream of chicken and 2 chicken bullion cubes.

Spend a few minutes stirring.  No breaks allowed!

The mixture will become creamy and bubbly and smooth and beautiful.

Now for my favorite part.  Dump in the chicken, potatoes, and beautiful veggies.  Mix everything together and steal a few bites!

Here I add my secret ingredient: thyme.  I add a big teaspoonful.  Then I taste-test it and add more salt, pepper, or thyme to taste.

Oh my.  Do I really have to put it in a crust?  Because I will happily just eat it like this.

Okay, okay, I'll put it in a crust.  Shortcut here- store-bought pie crust.  Don't tell my grandma.  Her pie crusts are amazing, and I know how to make them.  She would not be happy with me.

But I'm hungry and I want chicken pot pie now!  So I'm pouring the entire mixture into my deep-dish pie pan.  If you don't have a deep-dish pie pan, have no fear!  Freeze any leftover pot pie mix and make another pie another night.  It freezes beautifully.  It's a win-win!

But I have a deep-dish.

Add another crust on top and make it look purty.

I always cut two slits in the top of my crust in case the mixture decides to get extra-bubbly.  One time we carved a portrait of Oliver in the top, but I'm not ready to publish that yet!

Bake 30-35 minutes at 425 degrees.  Batta-bing, batta-boom... you have chicken pot pie!

Jacob's favorite part- scooping out that first slice!

It's so beautiful!  And it smells amazing.  My mouth is watering!

Okay, so please excuse me while I go make this again.  Writing this post a week after making the pie has been torture!  I could seriously eat this once a week!  If I didn't already have plans tonight, this is what my dream night would be:

I would make this beautiful pie and bake it while Reed and I read books and he goes blissfully and peacefully to sleep without a peep, whine, or one-last-drink-of-milk-please.  I will put on my comfy pjs and throw my current required college read, The Handmaid's Tale, out the window where it belongs (ugh, don't get me started).  I will feel much better when I grab A Man Called Ove instead.  Then I will sit on the corner of my couch with a cold Dr. Pepper, read, and scarf down chicken pot pie until my comfy pjs no longer fit.  Then I will go to sleep for 12 hours.

But, I have other plans tonight.  Sigh.

This, folks, is the ultimate comfort food.  I hope you try it, and I know you will love it.  Happy February!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup of onion
1/2 cup flour
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 can cream of chicken
2/3 cup milk
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon of black pepper, plus more to taste
3 cups of cooked and shredded chicken
10 oz package of frozen vegetables
2 potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon of thyme, plus more to taste
2 pie crusts

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Heat butter on low in large saucepan until melted.  Saute onion lightly.  Add flour, salt, and pepper and mix well.
3. Stir in chicken stock, milk, bullion, and cream of chicken.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir for one minute.
4.  Add chicken, potato, and frozen veggies.  Pour mixture in prepared crust, and cover with second crust.
5.  Bake at 425 degrees until brown, 30-35 minutes.

'Tis the season for casseroles! Sharing one of my favorites today, one that takes me back to my momma's dinner table.  Our family of five could clear out an entire dish of this delicious casserole in 20 minutes- no problema.  This is a meatless, super-cheesy twist on her ziti that we all shared so many moons ago.

Reed ready to work- armed with a wooden spoon and toothy smile.  How I love that smile!

The ingredients are simple for this one: alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, rigatoni, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesean, and an italian blend of cheeses.  It's a quick dinner too; I made two batches, took pictures, and baked this in under an hour.  Oh, yeah!

First, fill a pot with water to boil an entire box of pasta.  Heat the water as you prepare the sauce.  As soon as it starts boiling, add the rigatoni and cook according to the instructions on the box.

Over medium heat, add a jar of Alfredo sauce to a large stock pot or sauce pan.

Add an entire jar of marinara.  This is so complicated!

Next, add a cup of mozzarella cheese.

Stir in 1/4 cup of the Italian cheese blend and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Putting the little guy to work here as my "stirrer".   He takes his stirring job very seriously. With great cheese comes great responsibility.

Stir, stir, stir!  Add 1/2 cup of creamy ricotta cheese.

Sorry about the "cheesy" jokes!

Ok, ok, I'm finished.  I couldn't help myself.

​Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the sauce.  Mix it together really well.

Normally, I would grease a 9x13 pan, pour all of the noodles in, and call it a day.  But Jacob's on his first business trip this week, and I felt bad keeping all of that cheese to myself.  Plus, we currently have in our family right now a very sick person, another person taking care of the sick person, and two pregnant women with toddlers.

Time to share, and this is the perfect recipe!  We split the casserole into two smaller pans.  I chose a 2 quart and an 8x8 pan.  Reedie did the scooping.

Cover the noodles with a cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.   Simple, easy-cheesy goodness.

One for us, one to share- that's what casseroles are made of.  I just popped this one in the fridge overnight and delivered it the next day.

We cleared out our whole pan in one sitting!  This is everything I want in an easy weeknight dinner.  I know you will love it, too.  

Looking for some other easy, delicious weeknight dinners?  Check these out:

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

Simple Pasta Salad

Melty Cheese and Chicken Wraps 

Ingredients:
-1 pound of rigatoni, cooked
- 1 (15 oz) jar of Alfredo sauce
-1 (24 oz) jar of marinara sauce
-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
-1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
-1/4 cup Italian cheese blend
-1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions:
1.  Cook pasta.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large stockpot or sauce pan, mix alfredo sauce, marinara, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesean, italian cheese blend, and ricotta on medium heat.
3. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.  Add cooked pasta and mix well.
4. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and add pasta.  Cover with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesean cheese.
5.  Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Brrrr.... the cold is here!  Yesterday, the schools in our area closed because of the windchill!  Maybe today I'll just curl up with Oliver, put a heating pad on my back, and read a book.  I'm currently working on Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.  It's sooooo creepy!  Or maybe I'll watch 5 episodes of Cutthroat Kitchen- ​oddly, also creepy.  I guess I have a theme going.

I know it's been a while since I posted here in Table.  Between teacher-ing, mommy-ing, wife-ing, master's degree-ing, and a inexplicable puzzle obsession, I just haven't had the time.  We spent the holiday season in a flurry of activity, eating as much as possible, seeing the local holiday sights, and spending quiet time at home by the Christmas tree.  It was glorious. ​

Now the holidays are over and the cold is here to stay!  And that means it is time to cash in on that turkey hunt Jacob and Reed did back in the spring.  The turkey breasts have been in the freezer since April, waiting for the cold to come.  Waiting to become this creamy, spicy chili.

Jacob and I (mostly Jacob) perfected this turkey chili recipe a few years ago.  It is loaded with ingredients to fill your body and soul on a creepy, chilly day.  If you aren't a hunter, feel free to substitute store-bought turkey or chicken for the turkey in the recipe.  I won't tell anybody.

Lots of ingredients are needed for this flavor-filled chili!  Turkey, corn, bell peppers, heavy cream, cannellini beans, kidney beans, olive oil, garlic, onion, chicken stock, flour, and a few spices.  Yes, those are habaneros.  If heat isn't your thing, feel free to substitute jalapenos or just take them out altogether.  Again, your secret is safe with me.  This is a safe space.  Although, it is getting a bit crowded.

Give yourself about an hour to put this beautiful chili together. (See the bottom of the post for complete recipe.)  It's a bit of a commitment, but totally worth it!

First, cut the turkey breasts into small chunks and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil on a large pot on medium-low.  Dice the onion and saute it in the oil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the bell peppers.

Add the turkey to the garlic-oil mixture and brown, increasing the heat to medium.  Add the cumin and chili powder once the turkey has browned.  After about a minute, add the garlic and stir.

Now it's going to start smelling wonderful.  Add your diced peppers, a bay leaf, and the flour.  Stir until the flour is coating the turkey.

Next, pour in the chicken stock and add my favorite ingredients: corn, beans, and heavy cream.  Oh yeah!

I love heavy cream.

Don't forget to rinse the beans before you add them!

Almost done!  Look at all of that yummy goodness crammed into this stew!

Let it thicken up a little, then slice a couple of slits in each habanero.   DON'T DICE IT- you're going to pull them out later.  You would be very, very upset if you diced them.  Cutting slits in the peppers adds a nice kick, but doesn't overpower the chili at all.  Reed (3 years old) eats this chili with no problem.  We let them simmer in the chili for about 10 minutes and then pull them out.  Allow the chili to simmer and thicken for another 35-45 minutes. Taste-test, and add salt and pepper as you like it.

It's finished!  We like to serve ours with tortilla chips.

Cooking really good food with the meat that we hunt is the best part of the process of teaching Reed the value of hunting.  This delicious chili is one of many wild game recipes I hope to share on the site in the coming months.  Field to table- it's a proud, unique way of life, and one that I am still learning a lot about.  What I do know for sure: it's bowl-lickin' good!

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 turkey breasts
- 3/4 tablespoon cumin
- 3/4 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 10 oz frozen corn
- 30 oz cannelini beans
- 8 oz kidney beans
- 2 habanero peppers
- salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in large stockpot on medium-low heat.  Saute the onion until tender.  Add the turkey, raise heat to medium, and brown.  Add cumin and chili powder, cook one minute, add garlic and stir.

Add peppers, bay leaf, and flour.  Stir to coat everything with flour so it is all soaked up.  Add chicken stock, cream, corn, and beans and stir.  

Slice 2-3 slits in each habanero pepper- DO NOT DICE.  Let the habaneros float around in the chili as it thickens, about 10 minutes.  Pull out the habaneros.  Allow chili to simmer for another 35-45 minutes, pull out the bay leaf, add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips.