Monday, November 17, 2008

Praise God and Pass the Velveeta

Truly, the way to my man's heart is through Velveeta. I was making cheesy chicken spaghetti tonight when he got home from work. He walked in the door, found out what was on the menu, blessed me for cooking, and made a beeline for our room. At first I was a little annoyed when he didn't come out after 5, 10, 15 minutes. But then I discovered the reason. He was cleaning our room and our closet. THE MAN ORGANIZED OUR CLOSET. Even my side. Wow. God bless Curtis Jones. Now, if I could just figure out how to boil chicken breasts without turning them into rubber. I guess it's all good as long as I'm using Velveeta.

33 comments:

  1. Amanda,

    We need that recipe! Don't leave a Siesta hanging....

    Cindy in MI

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  2. Whatever he's taking, I want some of that! I have much to organize this week before our drive to TX...and my mind is spinning with all the details. So Velveeta, huh? Okie dokie!

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  3. Oh what a WONDERFUL surprise!

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  4. Anonymous6:58 AM

    When you boil them, don't over cook them. Then, let them sit in the water they cooked in until they cool. They stay much juicier and are far better tasting that way!

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  5. Hey - don't boil them. Roast them in the oven. Throw them on a baking sheet, put a little olive oil on top, salt & pepper them and then roast at 400, til the juices run clear (ala Barefoot Contessa). They taste tons better and if you roast them on parchment the cleanup is a breeze.

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  6. It must be something with their family, because Andy thinks Velveeta is heavenly as well. Now I just need Curt to teach him this clean the closet thing. They will have to talk at Christmas.

    Oh yes, and I was wondering if Jackson has a Mr. Potato head. I've been meaning to facebook you and ask. I'm really excited about getting him one for Christmas if he does not have one. So just let me know. Thanks!!!

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  7. Ahhh ... chicken spaghetti with 3 pounds of Velveeta. That's definitely the way to my man's heart, too.

    I had to comment on the cooking of chicken breasts. Mine were rubbery, too, until I bought a pressure cooker and learned the art of using it. I had grown up hearing horror stories from my mother and her sisters about women who had gotten distracted while cooking only to blow a pot full of green beans all over the kitchen, so I was a little (okay, make that a LOT) intimidated by the idea of using a pressure cooker, but todays PC's are so much safer. Can't recommend one highly enough. I can put several chicken breasts in straight from the freezer, and once the pressure builds, they're fully cooked in about 10 minutes. Throw in some seasonings before you start cooking them, and they are AMAZING.

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  8. You are highly favored among women.

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  9. Oh my goodness....he was speaking my love language, maybe my husband will read this post. By the way, I have given up boiling chicken for that very reason. We have a small toaster oven and I bake the portion of meat I need for those types of recipes and then I also have some goodness left for seasonings in the drippings. Just had to tell ya!

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  10. speaking of velveeta, I made a recipe the other night that pleased the whole family and that makes it worth sharing!
    Throw all this in a crockpot with the jucies and let it cook it's self!!
    Brown 1pd ground beef with some onion
    put it in the crock and add
    1can pinto beans
    1can rotel
    1can golden or white hominy
    1can corn
    1small can of green chilies
    1-1pd pkg of velveeta
    serve with tortilla chips
    So yummy! So yummy!

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  11. Anonymous9:15 AM

    To boil chicken and not have it rubbery, you boil the water, add chicken, cover, turn off the burner and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. It will be cooked and still juicy!

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  12. Hi Amanda! I love reading your posts but don't usually comment. (Marla Taviano "introduced" me to you several months ago - thanks, Marla!!)

    Anyway, I wanted to tell you that if you can stand the delicous aroma all day, you can stew chicken breasts in the Crock Pot for fall-apart tender results. I even put them in there frozen in the morning and cover them with water, and they are PERFECT for a casserole, etc. when I get home from work. Hope it works for you!! Good luck!

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  13. Ohhh, I love chicken spaghetti!

    I think the trick to getting the chicken tender is to cook it slowly. When I boil a whole chicken I cover it with water and cook one side for almost 40 minutes and turn it over and cook that side for almost that long...until it feels like it's about to fall off the bone.

    How nice of your hubby to clean and organize the closet!

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  14. wow! Your man must really love chicken spaghetti;) Hey, I made your family's white chicken chili last night and my man loved it (I did too!)!!! He even wants it again tonight and he NEVER eats leftovers! Hey, let me know when you find the secret to boiling 'good' chicken. Love you girl!

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  15. I should try that at my house. Our closet definitely needs some organization=)

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  16. I ruin boiled chicken breasts every time too! I have not resorted to simply baking them in the oven or cooking in my crock pot, it is harder to mess up that way. :)

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  17. I hate the boil-ribber thing. I cant figure it out either, it grosses me out.

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  18. Because I admire your faith & the beautiful way your words reach so many, please visit & pray for a family in need of a miracle...

    http://our-journey-to-parenthood.blogspot.com/

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  19. Hey girl! God bless Velveeta!

    I make a lightened broccoli cheese soup made from Velveeta. The recipe is somewhere on my blog, if you want it.

    Also, the way to keep your chicken from turning to rubber is to not boil it the whole time. You bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer it until it's done. (Just a small bubble breaking the surface now and then.) I used to boil my rubbery chicken until I read something that gave me better instructions.

    yo
    Lauren

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  20. Girl pass on that recipe. Maybe some miraculous things will happen if I cook that!

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  21. what a keeper, that curtis! my man is an organizational type too. you'll appreciate it even more when that second baby pops out!

    oh, and if any of your million kind commenters post the secret to boiling tender chicken breasts, please, please post it for all of us to know!

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  22. WOW! What a man you have, there! Praise God, I've got a good man,too. I usually cook my chicken breasts in the pressure cooker and they come out perfectly (on high until pressure builds up then 8 minutes on medium if thawed; 10 if frozen). Why don't you share that recipe with us? We love velveeta at our house, too!

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  23. mmmmmmmm Velveeta

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  24. Ya just have to love a man that can organize, clean and especially a closet. Although G did clean up his closet the other night. I think the first time in 3 years. He will never be able to organize though, he just don't get it.. Have to love him anyways.

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  25. Girl, yes. I made those enchiladas the other night with Velveeta, and I was Xavier's hero.

    I'm with you...my boiled chicken is always rubbery too.

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  26. Am I the 80th to ask for the recipe? It's getting cold up here in the midwest and that sounds like such a great "comfort" recipe.
    Please?
    Kerstin in Iowa

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  27. Amanda: I put four frozen chicken breasts in my crockpot this morning on LOW for all day and added a little water - DELICIOUS! For your recipe that would work well.

    I was planning chicken and rice, so I wanted a little gravy, so I poured in a can of "Golden Mushroom with Garlic" campbell's condensed soup WITH the water and 1 can of sliced mushrooms!

    Tender - delicious - and my man LOVED it tonight - add a salad and some steamed veggies! DONE in a flash!

    Much love,
    Georgia Jan

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  28. To avoid rubber chicken...I put mine in a 9 x 13 pan lined with aluminum foil with enough water in the bottom to cover the pan maybe an inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350. It works they come out tender and juicy and it is easy clean up!

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  29. Little Momma,

    That's cool that your man was blessed by your cooking and decided to return the favor:) My man loves it when I'm home early enough to cook-very appreciative:) Curtis gets "good husband" points for that one:)...I understand! Sometimes I boil my ckn too long too:)

    katiegfromtennessee

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  30. How sweet of him!!! I would LOVE the recipe!! Have a great day!

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  31. put the chicken in your crockpot and make sure that it stays full of water. They won't boil dry and they won't be rubberey, but very moist :)

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  32. Amanda .. put the chicken breasts in your crockpot during the day w/ onions and seasonings and throw them in the pot w/ the spaghetti later.

    Moist, tender, juicy chicken. That way,

    I love chicken, cheesy spaghetti .., and would love to see what you put in yours.

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  33. Amanda,
    I know you already had a million ideas about juicy chicken, but I just had to tell you one more that is super surprising...
    If you have any Pampered Chef stoneware, it can all go in the microwave- if it fits - The craziest part is that you can microwave chicken breasts about 7 minutes (until cooked all the way through) and they are super juicy and delicious. I know it is hard to believe, but you should try it! It is way easier and faster than anything else!
    Blessings,
    Andrea

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