In the Kitchen With Wendy Preston

These recipes were contributed by Wendy Preston, a North Ellis Co. resident, and originally appeared in the NorthEllisCoNOW October 2015 issue.

Crock-Pot Brown Sugar Bourbon Chicken

• 1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 1-2 lbs. chicken thighs
• 1 pkg. McCormick Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade

1. Clean chicken and place in the bottom of a Crock-Pot.
2. Follow directions on the back of the marinade packet, and whisk together the ingredients.
3. Pour the marinade over the chicken and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken starts to fall apart.
4. Remove chicken from the Crock-Pot and discard the remaining sauce.
5. Serve with your desired side dishes.

Luscious Potatoes

• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 2-lb. pkg. hash brown potatoes
• 2 10 1/2-oz. cans cream of potato soup
• 1 pt. sour cream
• 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper, or to taste

1. Combine Velveeta cheese and milk in a large bowl and microwave on medium heat for 1 minute; stir. Microwave again for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat this process until cheese and milk are mixed smoothly.
2. Add potatoes, potatoes soup, sour cream, salt and pepper to cheese mixture and mix all ingredients together until smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13-inch rectangular baking dish and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

Roasted Vegetables

• 1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb With Garlic Soup Mix
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh or frozen vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Combine envelope of soup mix and oil.
3. Place vegetables in a large bowl and toss oil mixture with vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
4. Place vegetables in a 9×13-inch baking dish; bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Bread Bowl Artichoke Dip

• 2 16-oz. sourdough bread rounds, about 6-inch diameter, (divided use)
• Vegetable oil spray
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts in water, drained
• 1 1.4-oz. envelope, or 1 1.8-oz. box (2 envelopes) vegetable soup mix
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 8 oz. sour cream
• Grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Slice off top of one bread round to create a lid; set lid aside. Carefully remove center of bread round to form a 4 1/2-inch-wide and 2-inch-deep well for dip.
3. Slice center of first bread round and the entire second bread round into 1-inch cubes. Place bread bowl on a baking dish, and arrange bread cubes around the bowl. Spray with vegetable oil.
4. In a bowl, add cream cheese and milk; whisk until smooth.
5. Use a food processor to chop artichokes. Add chopped artichokes and soup mix to cream cheese and milk mixture. 
6. Add pressed garlic clove to mixture.  
7. Microwave mixture on high for 5-7 minutes, or until hot. (Do not boil.) 
8. Stir lemon juice and sour cream into hot artichoke mixture; pour into bread bowl. 
9. If desired, grate Parmesan cheese over bread bowl and bread cubes. Lean lid against bread bowl. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until bread cubes and top of dip are golden brown. 
10. Remove from oven; serve immediately.

Coconut Cream Pie

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 slightly beaten egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 9-inch baked pastry shell
• 1 small container whipped cream
• 1/3 cup flaked coconut, toasted

1. In a large saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir in milk.
2. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. 
3. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more; remove from heat. 
4. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks. 
5. Add yolk mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. 
6. Add butter, vanilla and coconut; pour into cooled baked pastry shell. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.