Posted in From My Kitchen

Copycat Chicken Big Macs

The highly anticipated, limited-time release of the Chicken Big Mac came and went in the blink of an eye, leaving many fans scrambling to get their hands on one before it disappeared. If you missed out, don’t worry—I’ve got some great news for you! I’ve taken matters into my own hands and created a copycat that’s just as delicious and much easier to enjoy at home. This homemade version is similar to the iconic Big Mac, with two key differences: crispy fried chicken patties swap in for the traditional beef, and the onions have been eliminated (no crying over here). Aside from that, everything else stays the same, so you can still enjoy all the Big Mac goodness, but with a delicious, chicken-filled twist.

The chicken:
The Chicken Big Mac patty is essentially a larger version of a McNugget, so I used that as the blueprint. Ground chicken is combined with a bit of flour to absorb moisture, making it easier to form patties, and seasoned with onion and garlic powder for extra flavor. Here’s a helpful tip: Keep a bowl of water nearby when forming your patties. Dipping your hands in the water will keep the chicken from sticking and make the process much smoother.

Once shaped, the patties are popped into the freezer for a brief chill. This step helps firm them up, making it easier to dredge and batter them later. For the batter, McDonald’s describes it as “tempura-style,” so after checking their ingredient list, I decided on a blend of flour and fine-ground cornmeal, a touch of baking powder for leavening, and ice-cold water for a light and crispy texture.

delish!

40 Charmingly Decadent Southern Cake Recipes

Those Southern cake recipes will bring back fond memories of your grandma’s country kitchen. Find our favorite recipes for upside-down cake, hummingbird cake and more.

Taste of Home

Posted in From My Kitchen

Marry Me Pot Roast

We’re certain our “Marry Me” recipes have rewarded many lucky home cooks with promises of undying love. Marry Me chicken has a luscious sauce, and Marry Me pasta is internet famous! But if your true love is more of a roast fan, then Marry Me pot roast in the slow cooker is the perfect recipe to make. It’s an easy dish to prepare, and the slow-braising and slow-cooking guarantee really tender meat.

You’ll both really love how much flavor this recipe packs. The pot roast is simmered with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and the velvety sauce comes together with cream of mushroom soup. Then, finish plates of the pot roast and sauce with fresh basil and Parmesan. Get ready: After one bite, we bet your sweetie will get down on bended knee.

Marry Me Pot Roast Ingredients

  • Chuck roast: Pick up a 3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast for this recipe. Other cuts of meat that will work are top round roast or rump roast.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: So much of the flavor in this recipe comes from flavor-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Use the oil from the jar to sear the roast.
  • Onions: The onions are sliced and placed on the bottom of the slow cooker for flavor, but they’re especially tasty in the finished sauce.
  • Garlic: Another favorite flavor in so many “Marry Me” dishes is plenty of fresh garlic. Simply smash the cloves and toss them into the slow cooker.
  • Beef stock: You can use store-bought or homemade beef stock here. It’s one of the liquids that braises the pot roast.
  • Red wine: This dish is the perfect way to finish off a bottle of red. This recipe with wine calls for a dry red, like merlot or cabernet sauvignon, to deglaze the pot.
  • Roasted red peppers: Even though you’ll use just the peppers and the oil, look for jarred red peppers packed with pickles and other vegetables. The flavor in the oil will add more Mediterranean flavor to the dish.
  • Cream of mushroom soup: Recipes with cream of mushroom soup like this one are guaranteed to have a creamy texture and extra flavor oomph.
  • Spices: This recipe requires only a few essential spices: oregano, thyme, salt and black pepper.
  • Pappardelle pasta: The flat, hearty noodles hold up well under the rich sauce and meat. Other pasta shapes to try are rigatoni and penne.
  • Parmesan cheese: The nutty, salty flavor of Parmesan is the finishing touch for the pot roast. Pick up a wedge from the cheese case and grate it over the dish.
  • Basil: A few fresh basil leaves scattered over servings add lovely color and fresh, herby flavor.

Taste of Home

Posted in From My Kitchen

Yukon Oven Potatoes from Gail’s Kitchen

Posted in From My Kitchen

Pull-Apart Shamrock

We’re all about making our own luck, and what better way to do that this St. Patrick’s Day than with your own (delicious) shamrock? This pull-apart appetizer uses pizza dough and mozzarella sticks to create a shamrock-shaped appetizer that will get any party started (alongside plenty of green beer, of course). The best part? It comes together in under an hour with simple ingredients, so you can get yourself out of the kitchen and to the bars in record-breaking time.

When it comes to the pizza dough, you’re more than welcome to make it homemade, but feel free to use store-bought to make this dish easier than ever. Tip: Wait to stir the parsley into the butter mixture before you’re ready to serve to prevent oxidation. Make sure to brush plenty of the butter mixture on top before serving—you won’t want to waste a drop. If you’ve had a couple shamrockaritas and are feeling crazy, reserve some on the side for some pull-apart dunking.

delish!