Get ready:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2lb broccoli florets, blanched
• 2 Tsp butter
• 2 Tsp flour
• 3 cup whole milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 Tsp butter, cubed
• salt and black pepper

Now let’s play:

Bring 4 cups of chicken stock to broil. Pour in the rice, stir, and simmer for 20 minutes. Then use a fork to fluff the rice up. Set aside. Heat up olive oil in a saute pan. Add cubed chicken breasts with garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cook through, and then set aside. In a sauce pan, melt 2 Tsp of butter, and then whisk in flour till there is no lump. Pour in milk. Add Cheddar and Parmesan when milk is warm (should never not be broiled).  Whisk till the sauce runs smooth. Season up with salt and pepper to taste. Combine cooked rice, chicken, broccoli, and sauce in a large bowl. Pour into a 9*13 baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cubed butter on the top. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or till the top is golden brown. Let the casserole for 15 minutes on the countertop before serving (about 8 servings).

After-play thoughts:

I prefer using white pepper here, as it’s more aesthetically appealing and has a more blend-in peppery flavor.

Get ready:

• 1 Tsp olive oil
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• 4 Tsp butter
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 Tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

Now let’s play:

Cut the sheet of puff pastry into quarters, and bake in a 400F oven for 15-20 minutes or till it’s all puffed up. Meanwhile, heat up olive oil in a saute pan while seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken till juice runs clear. Take out chicken and set aside. Melt butter in the same pan. Saute diced carrots with parsley, oregano, and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Dust in flour and whisk till it’s fully combined with the carrots. Pour in chicken stock and whisk vigorously till there is no lump. Stir in the peas and milk. Bring it to boil. Then turn off the heat. Stir in chopped onion.  Wait for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Place one square of puffed pastry on a plate, slit the top open, serve the chicken mix in and out the pastry as the pastry is a serving device (about 4 servings).

After-play thoughts:

Chicken pot pie always brings the cozy feeling as it’s one of the home-cooking classics. This recipe puts an elegant twist on the classic dish, and fool-prove.

Get ready:

• 3 lb ground beef
• 1 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 3 whole large eggs, whisked
• 1 Tsp dried basil
• 1 Tsp dried parsley
• 1 Tsp garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

Now let’s play:

Mix all the ingredients together by hand, and then use palms to form into 1.5-inch balls (make about 48 balls). Bake in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.

After-play thoughts:

Thanks to Alton Brown’s perennial effort of turning gadgets into multitaskers, mini-muffin pans are hands down the best tool for the job. The pans promote even proportion (meatballs should just fit comfortably into each cup) and even browning while holding the shape. If you use those pans that make 24 mini-muffins per pan, this recipe conveniently makes 2 pans of meatballs.

Get ready:

• 2 Tsp olive oil
• 2 lb butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 lb rigatoni, cooked and drained
• 2 baked chicken breasts, skin removed and cubed
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp dried theme
• salt and pepper to taste

Now let’s play:

Heat up olive oil in a large saute pan. Add garlic and brown a little. Add squash cubes and saute for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock. Bring to broil and then simmer till squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Pour the squash mixture into a food processor and puree. Pour the puree back to saute pan, and add milk. Stir till the sauce is creamy and well combined. Toss with rigatoni and chicken, and serve immediately (4-6 servings).

After-play thoughts:

You can substitute with any kind of squash you desire, and also you can toss it with shrimp or topped it with pan-seared salmon, cod, tilapia…