Easy Chicken Marsala with Angel Hair Pasta

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.” – Marcel Boulestin

Our favorite cuisines are by far Italian and Mexican… so yum! I had this recipe at a wonderful little Italian restaurant, and of course I thought, “I can make this better!” So I found a basic recipe and adjusted it according to my family’s tastes and what we enjoy.

What is your family’s favorite dish? Let me know if you make this & how you enjoyed it. Any tips & tricks from you? Leave your comments below, I love your feedback!

Enjoy friends!

You can watch me make it at my YouTube channel. Click the link below!

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Ingredients: Yields 4 Servings

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup all purpose white flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup Marsala wine

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1~ 16 ounce container of crimini mushrooms, sliced

½ cup shallots, diced

2 fresh garlic cloves minced OR 2 tsp jarred

3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

3 TBSP salted butter

1 tsp pink Himaylean salt

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 pound angel hair pasta

If you’d like to have pasta sauce over your noodles, rather than the Marsala gravy, use your favorite brand or here is the recipe for my super delish & easy to make Marinara Sauce!

Enjoy friends!

1. Cut chicken breasts in half if attached, then horizontally.

2. Tenderize until about ½ inch thick.

If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, no worries. Watch Dave demonstrate with a simple kitchen item!

3. In a bowl, add flour and seasonings; coat each breast on both sides. Reserve the remaining seasoned flour.

4. In an electric skillet, add half the butter and half the olive oil; heat in the skillet and then add the chicken breasts; cook on each side for 3 minutes until golden; remove to a plate

5. Add the remaining butter and olive oil into the skillet; add mushrooms and reserved seasoned flour, cook for about 6-8 minutes covered stirring occasionally; add shallots and garlic; cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add broth, cream, wine; stir until well blended.

6. Add chicken breasts into the mixture; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn chicken breasts and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

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If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Added bonus: You can go to my blog at http://www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats in either a spiral bound soft cover OR NEW, a Downloadable PDF version. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!

Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Jean’s Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce & my delicious Bruschetta Recipe!

Featured | Posted by Jean Roman

“Cooking is about passion, so it may look slightly temperamental in a way that it’s too assertive to the naked eye.” – Gordon Ramsay

Spaghetti can be as simple as noodles with butter, or as elegant as a delicious meat sauce with sautéed vegetables and freshly grated parmesan cheese. In my home, we like them both, and everything in between.

Today I’m going to show you how to make my personal favorite, along with offering a few variations. I of course use my marinara sauce as the base, and then add several ingredients. If you have my cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats & Treats, you can find this recipe on page 414. I’ll also provide the link to the recipe here at my blog. What is your favorite sauce? Let me know in the comments below.

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Ingredients: Yields approximately 8 to 10 cups of sauce.

2 pounds ground meat: I used fresh ground pork here, but you can use beef or chicken or a combination of either
6 cups of my Marinara sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce
1~ 16 ounce can of tomato sauce
8 ounce container of fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 fresh garlic cloves minced OR 2 tsp jarred
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil
4 TBSP salted butter

You can serve this with my delicious Bruschetta as well!

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MY YOUTUBE VIDEO!

Here is the LINK for my Marinara Sauce Recipe. Enjoy friends!

PRO TIP: When trying to figure out how much sauce, remember that 1 cup = 8 ounces. This will help you if you are purchasing pre-jarred sauce. It’s fine to go over or under an ounce or two.

1. Heat a large skillet; add 1 TBSP oil, 2 TBSP of the butter, and meat; fry until crumbly.

Fry on medium heat until crumbly.

2. In another skillet, add all veggies, spices, and garlic, sauté covered until tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally;

3. Next add tomato sauce and blend.

4. Next add cooked meat and blend.

5. Simmer for at least 1 hour covered, stirring occasionally.

6. In a large stock pot heat about ¾ full pot of water to a boil; cook noodles according to package instructions.

Serve with a salad and my delicious Bruschetta. Watch my YouTube Video here!

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

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Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Gnocchi Soup

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cooking for people is an enormously significant expression of generosity and soulfulness, and entertaining is a way to be both generous and creative. You’re sharing your life with people. Of course, it’s also an expression of your own need for approval and applause. Nothing wrong with that.” – Ted Allen

We just love soups! Really, we love any type of comfort food. One of my favorite types of pasta is Gnocchi, and when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make my own version of it. I often see yummy recipes and then adjust them to make them my own suited to my family’s preferences.

The first time I had Gnocchi was from a co-vendor during my market vendor days. If you are in or around the Metro Detroit area, then you may have heard of Tracinas. They are by far the best I’ve ever eaten. You can find them at several farmers markets, and in some stores. Check out their website to see if there is a location near you!

Now let’s get rolling with this super yummy & easy to make soup recipe. Be sure to let me know what you think of it, and tell me what your favorite soup is. I love to hear your feedback. Enjoy friends!

Check out my recipe at my YouTube Channel!

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

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Ingredients: Yields 4~ 2 cup servings

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized chunks~ about 1 ½ to 2 pounds
48 ounces or 6 cups chicken broth
1- 8 ounce package of Gnocchi
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, cut into ¼ inch coins
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shallots, diced
1 cup fresh spinach
½ cup diced Heirloom tomatoes or 1~ 8 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 fresh garlic cloves minced OR 2 tsp jarred
2 TBSP white all purpose flour
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

Watch the final steps to preparing this super delicious Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Gnocchi Soup.

1. In a large stock pot, heat ½ the butter and ½ the oil; add all vegetables and sauté for about 5-7 minutes; add garlic and seasonings; blend well and sauté for an additional minute.

2. In a separate skillet, add the other half of the butter and oil; heat and add chunked chicken; cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Do not fully cook.

3. When chicken is done, add to the vegetable mixture; mix until well blended.

4. In a cup, take 1 cup of the broth and whisk flour into it until there are no lumps; add to chicken and vegetable mixture with remaining broth and cream; bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and cook for half an hour.

5. Add spinach and gnocchi; cook according to package instructions.

Serve with a salad and garlic bread!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Recipe for Corn Chip Lettuce Salad and 3 Cheese Quesadillas

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cooking is about creating something delicious for someone else.” – Ayumi Komura

It’s a bit early for salad in my opinion, but this is a good one for sure! We are a family of comfort food in the cooler weather, and dive head first into grilling & salads once the weather begins to warm up!

If you have a copy of my wonderful cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats, then you’ll be able to find this yummy recipe on page 77. If you don’t own a copy of it, you can purchase it here in either a beautiful spiral bound softcover or NEW, a Downloadable PDF version. o purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats in either a spiral bound soft cover OR NEW, a Downloadable PDF version.

Check out this super yummy easy recipe here at my YouTube Channel!

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I’ve adjusted the recipe a bit, and provided you with specifics on how I make it! Enjoy friends, and be sure to let me know how you like it in the comments below, I love your feedback!

Ingredients: Yields approximately 4~ 2 cup servings

1 head of lettuce, iceberg is best for this salad

6-8 hard boiled eggs, diced or quartered

1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese or similar

4-6 cups of crumbled corn chips. I prefer Frito Lay brand, and I only use about 4 cups

½ pound bacon, fried and crumbled

Dressing:

1 cup Miracle Whip. Do not substitute with mayo, it does NOT taste the same!

⅛ cup white vinegar

¼ cup white whole milk

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

Easy 3 Cheese Quesadillas!

To make 1 you’ll need: You can use any cheese you want but here is what I used and it was a perfect blend of mild to sharp!

1 TBSP salted butter
1 Extra large flour tortilla
2 slices mozzarella cheese
2 slices baby Swiss cheese
2 slices of mild to sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a skillet, melt the butter; spread to cover the whole bottom of the skillet.

Place the tortilla down in the skillet.

Add cheese to cover 1 half of the tortilla; fold over to make a half moon.

Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown; flip and repeat.

I added about 5 sundried tomatoes and some fresh basil leaves into mine! So yum!

In a bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until any lumps have been blended thoroughly.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the first 5 ingredients.

When you are ready to serve, add the dressing into the salad and toss until evenly coated.

PRO TIP: I precut my bacon into about 1 inch pieces and fry to eliminate the crumbling! Much easier & faster!

This is a sweet tasting salad, and you can cut back the amount of sugar if you choose to, but I suggest you try it as the recipe states first and then adjust.

How to make perfect hard boiled eggs:

In a medium pot, fill a bit more than 1/2 full with cold water.

Place eggs carefully in water and bring to a boil on high heat; boil for 3 minutes.

Turn heat off, leave eggs in water for an additional 5 minutes.

Drain water and place water in a bowl with ice cubes and cool. Peel.

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Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Poor Man’s Steak

Featured | Posted by Jean Roman

“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat.” – Guy Fieri

This recipe has been a long time favorite of my children’s and can be found in my cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats on page 163. If you don’t own your own copy, you can in either a beautiful soft cover spiral bound edition OR now, NEW PDF Downloadable version.

I remember when we were with the Mennonite church, this was a family favorite for Sunday company. It’s so easy to make, yet so delicious to the taste buds. With just a few simple ingredients you’ll have everyone so impressed and wanting this recipe!

Enjoy friends, and let me know how you like it. Be sure to give me feedback, I love your comments!

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Ingredients: Yields 15 to 18 patties

2 pounds ground beef

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1~ 10.5 ounce can of cream of mushroom soup

1 cup water

1 to 2 soup can water or milk- I use milk

2 TBSP white all purpose flour

1 TBSP pink Himalayan salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 medium red onion, diced

White all purpose flour for breading patties

Olive oil for frying

1. In a large bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, 1 cup milk, seasonings, and diced onion; blend until thoroughly mixed

2. Place about 1 cup of flour into a bowl; take about ¼ cup of meat mixture and form into a patty; coat all sides in flour; set aside and repeat until all meat is formed into patties.

3. In a skillet while forming the patties, add 2 TBSP olive oil and heat on medium high.

4. Once all patties are breaded with flour, place in heated oil in a skillet; cook for about 1 ½ minutes on both sides and remove into a 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Repeat until all patties are cooked.

5. Put soup and can of milk into another bowl with 2 TBSP flour; whisk until blended and there are no clumps. Pour soup mixture over patties.

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6. Cover and bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until done.

To check doneness, remove one patty and cut in half; if there is no pink, then it is ready to serve.

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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Have you checked out my NEW YouTube Channel yet?

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Jean Roman

Jean is trying to grow her Subscriber base there, so please stop over and join her as she shares incredible content only found there! Don’t miss out friends! SUBSCRIBE HERE!

Jean Roman is a mother of six, published author, Podcaster, YouTuber, organic gardener, organizational guru, and influencer. A self-professed master gardener with over twenty years experience, she loves to write and teach about her passion and knowledge in organic gardening, the local food movement, food preparation & preservation.

Jean spent fifteen years as a Mennonite where she co-authored her cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. Selling over twenty-thousand copies throughout the US & Canada, the book is cherished by many. Roman recently started her Podcast, sister to her blog. In addition to chatting about her beloved topics including gardening, cooking, & organization she shares topics including healthy lifestyles & entrepreneurship. Jean brings experts in these fields and shares a combined knowledge with her listeners.

The NEW sister, her YouTube channel is filled with great content including recipes, easy & fun how-to projects, gardening tutorials all only seen there! You can also listen to all of her Podcasts there!

Thanks in advance friends,
Until next time remember to eat fresh, shop local, and have a happy day!
Jean

Jalapeño Popper Sandwich with Turkey and Canadian Bacon with Swiss & Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread on Sour Dough!

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cooking is the art of adjustment.” – Jacques Pepin

Dave & I first had this sandwich at a cool little joint near my home in Waterford. We both really enjoyed it but there were a few things I didn’t care for about it. For instance, they used canned jalapenos which are pickled… and I don’t like pickled anything. So of course I thought I could make it better, and we think I did!

I love finding an okay recipe and making it preferable to my family… and hopefully yours! What would you do differently from mine? Let me know in the comments below, I love your feedback!

To see my step by step, check out the video on my YouTube Channel!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!

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Ingredients: Yields 1 Sandwiches

2 slices turkey bacon, cooked

2 slices Canadian bacon

2 slices swiss cheese

1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced~ with or without seeds

2 TBSP salted butter, softened

2 slices of sourdough bread

Serve with chips or mac & cheese.

We switched this up with some regular bacon and added avocado!

Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread: Yields 1 ½ cups

1 cup whipped cream cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 fresh clove of garlic minced OR 1 tsp jarred

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

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Here’s an easy step by step visual!

1 Cook bacon.

2. Spread 1 tsp of the softened butter on one side of each slice of bread; spread 2 TBSP of the cream cheese spread on the other side; Place slice buttered side down in a skillet on medium-low heat.

3. Layer on top of the cream cheese spread first 1 slice of the swiss cheese, then the cooked bacon slices, then Canadian bacon slices.

4. Then add 6 slices of jalapeno pepper, the other slice of swiss cheese.

5. On the second slice of buttered bread, spread 2 TBSP of the cream cheese spread on the other side and place the cream cheese side down onto the swiss cheese;

6. The buttered side should be facing up.

7. Cook on for about 1 to 2 minutes pressing down with a spatula and then carefully flip the sandwich; repeat this process of flipping until both sides are golden brown and swiss cheese is melted; about 5 minutes.

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Added bonus: You can go to my blog at http://www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!

Until next time remember to,
Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

Copyright Policy

All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content.

Vegetable Pork Rib Soup, with a Creamy Alternative!

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well, one must love and respect food.” – Craig Claiborne

Dave & I have been on a soup kick lately and we are enjoying it abundantly… as have the boys. Soup is definitely a comfort food and one that warms the soul on a cool day. I honestly don’t make soups in the summer… it just doesn’t seem right. I want salads & foods hot off the grill.

But today, we are making soup. Check out this super yummy & easy Vegetable Pork Rib Soup, and I’m going to give you a quick & easy method to make its creamy version!

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Ingredients: Yields 4~ 2 cup servings

1 slab pork ribs, slow cooked. Here’s my recipe!

6 cups chicken broth

4 large potatoes, cubed

1 can whole kernel corn, blackened

3 stalks of celery, sliced about ¼ inch thick

4 medium to large carrots, cut into ¼ inch coins

1 small red onion, diced

2 fresh garlic cloves minced OR 2 tsp jarred

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP fresh snipped parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp pink Himalayan salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Here’s how to make the creamy version!

Use 2 cups of the chicken broth and whisk in 1/4 cup all purpose white flour.

Pour into boiling liquid when soup is done; bring to a boil. Add 2 cups fresh spinach and wilt; Soup will thicken.

Fresh ingredients are always best!

1. In a large stock pot, sauté carrots, celery, and onion in the olive oil for about 10 minutes covered on medium heat.

2. While vegetables are sautéing, drain corn and place in a frying pan with 2 TBSP of the oil and butter; fry covered on medium high heat stirring frequently until browned, about 10 minutes.

3. Pick all the meat off the bones of your ribs discarding any fat and grizzle as well. Cut into bite size portions.

4. Once vegetables are sautéed add garlic, potatoes, blackened corn, all herbs & spices, cooked pork rib meat, and broth; cook on medium heat simmering for 1 hour.

*IF you are making the creamy version, reserve 2 cups of broth

5. If you are making the creamy version, add the thickening mixture in and bring to a boil until thickened.

Serve with sour dough bread or any other bread you prefer!

If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!

If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!

Until next time remember to

Eat fresh, shop local & have a happy day,

Jean

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I love sharing beautiful things with all of you…

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Jean Roman

If you enjoy daily inspiration & information on gardening, cooking, organization, & fun photo’s, then come on over to my Facebook page!

Be sure to Like & Follow me so you don’t miss something special!

Until next time friends,
Remember to eat fresh, shop local, & have a happy day!
Jean!

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Vegetable Seafood Bisque

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Jean Roman

“Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well, one must love and respect food.” – Craig Claiborne

Dave & I had been seeing a lot of recipes for bisques and decided we’d like to try one out. We had a few lobster tails and some shrimp in the freezer we were waiting to use, and this was the perfect opportunity… and boy are we thrilled we did! This soup has a bit of a zip as a dash of cayenne pepper and black pepper are included. Then adding the asiago cheese was the final pizzazz we were looking for!

This recipe is simply delightful served with Panera’s Asiago Focaccia bread… mmmm just delish! Enjoy friends!

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Ingredients: Yields 4 servings 2 cups each

3 lobster tails

1- 12 ounce bag cooked extra large deveined, peeled shrimp with or without the tails

1 cup heirloom carrots, cut into ¼ inch coins

2 stalks of celery, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 small shallots, diced or sliced

4 cloves fresh garlic minced OR 4 tsp jarred

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP white all purpose flour

2 TBSP salted butter

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 ¼ cup red cooking sherry

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp pink Himalayan salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Fresh Asiago Cheese, shredded for topping

How-to harvest fresh thyme leaves

Watch this quick tutorial on my YouTube Channel on how to harvest fresh thyme leaves in seconds!

What’s different about my bisque?

Well many bisques blend the vegetable mixture with the stock before adding the meat, if used. Generally this is a sort of puree.

Dave & I wanted to put our spin on this recipe and I think we succeeded! What about you? Leave me a comment & let me know what you think!

1 In a large stock pot bring 8 cups of water to a boil; add lobster tails and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until bright red; remove and place into a bowl and allow to cool.

2. In the same water the lobster was cooked, add shrimp and bring to a boil; cook for 3 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl to cool. Set seafood stock to the side.

3. Remove all the meat from the lobster tails; put the shells back into the stock and bring to a boil; cook for 10 to 15 minutes covered; when done discard shells and set the stock aside.

4. While tails are boiling cut veggies.

5. In another large stock pot add butter and oil; warm for about 1 minute on medium heat; add veggies except garlic; sauté covered for about 10 minutes or until soft; add garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute; add dry seasonings, tomato paste, and flour and blend well; cook for an additional 1 minute.