Well Kasey - you tagged the right person because I have some awesome recipes to share! Let me know if you try them - you will not be dissapointed!
Chicken Brunswick Stew (dont let the stew thing fool you - this is a really good BBQ recipe)
1 (2 1/2-pound) fryer chicken Water
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, sweetened with 1/3 cup sugar
1 (16-ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Celery salt
Cooked rice, as accompaniment
In a large pot, place the chicken and enough water to cover chicken and bring to a boil. Cook chicken until meat falls off the bone, approximately 45 minutes. Drain the chicken and reserve 2 cups of stock. Remove the skin and bones and chop meat.
In a separate pot, mix the chicken and remaining ingredients. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add a little bit of the stock if the stew becomes too thick. Serve stew over steamed rice.
Tomato Bisque
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid)
roughly chopped 3 parsley sprigs 3 fresh thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.
Rigatoni with Pulled Rotissiere Chicken, Pesto, and Roasted Peppers
2/3 cup basil pesto
1 box of rigatoni noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups pulled cooked chicken meat
2 cups sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup pitted olives, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table
Put the pesto in a large bowl.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Whisk the pasta water into the pesto.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, peppers, and olives and cook, stirring until hot, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the pasta and cheese to the pesto and toss to combine. Add the chicken mixture and combine. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and serve immediately. Pass Parmesan at the table.
I know we all need new recipes, so share a few and tag a few friends so we can all add to our collections! Share 3 of your favorites recipes, tag 3 or more of your favorite bloggers and let the food fun begin!
I tag Lanae, Maren, Heather, Sarah and Angie
There it is. Way out there in the Atlantic. Just waiting to be visited by a man and his wife. (and 4 of their friends). So much is in store. Crab Races, the beer drinking pigs (youtube that one), the lobster killing fields (better known as the reef, but I am going to try and change that), and a beach with a view of what my heaven will look like. 
I knew the only way that my design would lose is if someone had a bigger motor. Well, there is the bigger motor. We raced several times. We even raced starting at the finish line and launching off the top of the starting line. We made some sweet jumps at the end of the event to see how far in the air these things would go. the "D-O-D" actually took flight and left a mark on the wall where it hit about 12 feet high. It was quite impressive.
Triple threat (Brookelyn, Caitlyn, Ellaree). They were on their best behavior though and they loved to walk around holding hands.
