Thursday, April 28, 2016

Poppyseed Chicken


Poppy Seed Chicken
3-4 chicken breasts, grilled and diced OR boiled and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup butter, melted
           Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the soup and sour cream in a baking dish.  Add the chicken and stir it into the soup mixture. In a quart sized ziploc bag, crush the Ritz crackers.  Add the poppy seeds and melted butter to the bag of crackers and shake to mix together.  Pour the cracker mix over the chicken and spread evenly to cover the chicken.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the crackers are slightly golden brown and the soup mixture bubbly around the edges of the baking dish.  Serve over baked potatoes or rice.  

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Jars

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Jars  (makes 6 half pints)
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. cold water
1 cup (approx. 7 full-sized) graham crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 - 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
       In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp. water.  Cook over medium heat until simmering.  Add the cornstarch mixed with water and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
       Crush the graham crackers and combine them with the brown sugar and melted butter.  Spoon the mixture into 6 half-pint mason jars.  Gently press the mixture into the bottom of each jar with the back of a spoon.
       With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat it on low until combined. Set aside.  In a separate bowl, add the whipping cream and beat it with the hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Spoon it into the jars on top of the graham cracker crust.
       When the blueberries and syrup are completely cooled, spoon them on top of the cream cheese filling layer.  Place the lids and tighten the rings on the jars and refrigerate until ready to serve.