CHEESY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BAKE

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

This is comfort food, lower-carb style. It will still leave you fully satisfied, and the best part for me, leftovers held quite well and provided me with a couple of lunches down the week.

CHEESY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BAKE
(inspired by Hungry Happens)

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cottage cheese, full-fat
1/4 cup pesto
1 tbs olive oil
4 small crowns broccoli, cut into small florets
1½ lbs chicken breasts, cubed
salt to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes
8 oz shredded mozzarella
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375℉.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese and pesto. Set aside.

Rinse the broccoli florets, drain, allowing a little of the water to stay over the surface. Season lightly with salt, place in a microwave-safe bowl, cover and steam in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve.

In a large deep skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt, and sautee the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

To the cottage cheese mixture, add the tomatoes, steamed broccoli, mozzarella and chicken and toss to combine all. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the grated parmesan on top. Bake for 35 minutes and then remove from the oven. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes then dig in…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is my favorite type of meal, it has everything: protein, veggies, a nice cheesy component, and plenty of flavor. As you know, I live for leftovers and they worked great in the microwave straight from the fridge. No rubbery texture in the chicken, the cottage cheese environment make it all work perfectly. This goes into our rotation for sure, I hope you give it a try!

ONE YEAR AGO: Barbari Bread and Hummus

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THREE YEARS AGO: Crispy Air-Fried Zucchini

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TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, November 2015

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Helen Fletcher’s Oatmeal Cookies

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Thai-Style Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A Simple Appetizer (Baked Ricotta)

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Sour Cream Sandwich Bread

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp

8Nov2025

SOUTHERN STYLE SKILLET CORNBREAD

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Side dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I made this three times in a row: easy, simple, delicious! It will shine next to a hearty bowl of chili (I highly recommend our favorite recipe, one of the oldest in this bewitched spot). This is a small version, good for 2 people with leftovers or 4 to clean the pan.

SOUTHERN STYLE SKILLET CORNBREAD
(adapted from fieldcompany)

bake in 8-inch cast iron skillet
(recipe can be doubled for larger size pan)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 large egg (whisk and eye-ball half the amount for the recipe)
1 ear of corn, kernels removed (about 1/2 cup kernels)

Turn the oven to 425F and place your seasoned cast iron skillet inside, to heat it up as you prepare the recipe.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter gently in a microwave and set aside to cool.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, honey, and the cooled melted butter until well combined. Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until combined, being careful not to over mix. Gently fold the corn kernels into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to evenly coat the bottom and all sides. Pour the batter into the hot, buttered skillet and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top of the bread is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, 15 to 18 minutes.

Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It is recommended that you use fresh corn kernels, but the recipe works very well with frozen. Canned corn will be a bit too mushy, so I advise against using it. This is not a sweet type cornbread, even if it has a bit of honey. Cumin or chili pepper could be nice additions, if you like some heat.

We enjoyed it with a bowl of chili (recipe here) and it was truly wonderful comfort food on a Saturday evening.

ONE YEAR AGO: Bolo do Caco, a Bread from Madeira Island

TWO YEARS AGO: Silikomart Raggio

THREE YEARS AGO: Cremino a la Nociolla

FOUR YEARS AGO: Roasted Broccoli and Apple Salad with Tahini Dressing

FIVE YEARS AGO: A Different Kind of Cookie Swap

SIX YEARS AGO: Scary Good Recipes for your next Halloween

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Pumpkin Sourdough

EIGHT YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite

NINE YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Paalak Paneer, a Farewell Post

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, November 2015

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Helen Fletcher’s Oatmeal Cookies

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Thai-Style Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A Simple Appetizer (Baked Ricotta)

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Sour Cream Sandwich Bread

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp

4Nov2025

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE SHRIMP AND SQUASH DINNER

Posted in Incredibly simple, Seafood, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

For a light version, pair the shrimp with spaghetti squash. To go for the kill, serve with a hearty helping of fettuccine… Two super easy recipes that we absolutely loved!

Let’s start with the main dish…

SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH LEMON-CAPER DRESSING
(adapted from The New York Times)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ cup lemon juice
2 very thin slices of lemon, deseeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill
1 tablespoon capers or more, coarsely chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt

to brine the shrimp (optional, but recommended)
1 qt water
1/4 cup Kosher salt
squeeze of lemon juice

Brine the shrimp by soaking in the solution for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain, rinse lightly and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve.

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, chopped lemon, dill, and capers; set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and lightly browned on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the lemon dressing and toss to coat. The shrimp can be served right away, over pasta, rice, or any side dish you desire.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

SUPER SIMPLE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

To get the original recipe, click here

I don’t think I will ever use another method to make it. The only tricky part is slicing it, BUT if you poke a few holes with a fork around the skin and microwave it for 5 minutes, slicing is easy.

Place crosswise slices (about 1.5 inches thick) over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper, rubbing the slices to coat slightly.

Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, flipping the slices midway through roasting.

Use a fork to shred the squash while still warm in the pan.

Comments: The shrimp preparation is delicious, I’ve made it three times in the past month, so I highly recommend you give it a try. As to the squash, I love how each little portion is perfect for a single serving. You can do that and follow with recipes that use the squash in little muffin tins with a bit of tomato sauce, or an egg, there are countless options out there in the blogosphere and Pinterest universe. It ends up with perfect texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Japanese Vegetarian Curry

TWO YEARS AGO: Butter Chicken Meatballs

THREE YEARS AGO: Lace-Decorated Sourdough

FOUR YEARS AGO: Incredibly Simple Carrots

FIVE YEARS AGO: Sarah Bernhardt’s Cookies

SIX YEARS AGO: A Really Big Announcement

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EIGHT YEARS AGO: Monday Blues

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ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Spice Cake with Blackberry Puree

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

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FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

31Oct2025

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

I invite you to visit the Cookie Blog to see my two favorite production of this year, in the scary department…
Without further ado…

Halloween Gingerbread House….
(details here)

3D Coffin
(details here)

30Oct2025

FUN WITH OREO COOKIES

Posted in Chocolate Bonbons, Cookies, Desserts by sallybr

Four ways to use Oreos in your baking, starting with my favorite of this set…

The Melting Witch Chocolate Cookie

I cannot take credit for this cute idea, but I modified it slightly from what was published in this site.

For the cookie, I used my default recipe with a touch of chipotle pepper and cinnamon (click here). For the hat, I used Hershey’s kisses, but gave it an additional coat with Candy Melts dark chocolate, to make it match the color of the Oreo underneath. Then all you need to do is flood the cookie with Electric Green icing, immediately add the half Oreo cookie and the pretzel stick. Once that sets, pipe the broom detail, and glue the Hershey kiss on the Oreo. You are done!

STRAWBERRY OREO LITTLE BALLS

OREO STRAWBERRY BALLS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

24 Oreo cookies
90g strawberry cream cheese, at room temperature
200g white chocolate
30g grape seed oil
fat-soluble dye, pink and red

Place the Oreos and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until it starts to form a dough.

Form little balls using about 20g of Oreo dough. Place them in the freezer for 1 hour.

Melt the chocolate gently in a microwave at 50% power, together with the oil. Whisk gently from time to time. Separate a small amount to dye red. Dye most of the batch pink.

Remove the Oreo balls from the freezer, and gently but quickly dip each one in the melted chocolate (ideally at about 100F), using a toothpick or medium-size wooden stick. Place upright to set. Drizzle the red chocolate all over for decoration. Remove the stick and place on paper cups to serve.

If desired, spray a little Diamond dust or pink luster powder over them.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

OUTRAGEOUS COOKIES AND CREAM COOKIES

These are nothing short of amazing… For the full recipe, please visit the site where I originally found them (click here). One cookie will feed a family of four, so to speak… But absolutely worth the calories!

CHOCOLATE-COVERED OREOS

I do these often, as I like to include a small batch in my donation box of Friday. Two ways to decorate them for the Halloween season. On the left, ghosts made with candy melts, just a drop on parchment paper, then pull the shape with a gloved finger. Add eyes. Done! On the right, chocolate transfer sheets. Sweet and simple!