Holiday Leftover Roll of Sweet Sin

The period of time following the Christmas Holidays makes for a perfect example as to when it’s a perfect time for having some Grown-Up fun getting messy with this recipe!

Alright - so it’s really just a perfect - excuse.

However - if you’re over the age of 41 years - why do you need an excuse for anything?

I prefer to consider this as being no different than cleaning my refrigerator - thank you very much.

Okay.  Now that we have the philosophy of life squared away…

Cleaning up your Holiday Baking Leftovers - simply relies upon - Chocolate Chips!

Oh - and waxed paper.

I took what I had in my kitchen - and put all this together.  Now from the get-go I will tell you - there is almost total freedom to pour and sprinkle as you choose!  There is no exact measuring.

Yet - you can count on not using all the prepared ingredients. But - that just gives you reason to go get another large back of Chocolate Chips!  Unless you sit there and munch ‘em all down while you’re totally lost in some other subconscious past life - totally unaware of what you’re doing.  If you’ve got help with that - such as the pups or the kids - that just makes it a party!

This is all about - fun!  There are no exact ingredients - beyond a Large Bag 23oz. Bag of Milk Chocolate Chips.  However - this IS NOT a recipe for Diabetics.  Sorry.

Let’s Begin!

Smear Unsalted Butter over an entire sheet of Waxed Paper covering a Large Cookie Sheet.

Hubs does not like Coconut.  I LOVE Coconut.  Rarely do I get a chance to have anything with Coconut.  I made this one of those opportunities!  There was a compromise - sprinkling a layer of Coconut on only half the waxed paper.

One box of Candy Canes that I’d rigged around a red Pillar Candle for Christmas decorating.

Peeled the cellophane off each cane and placed them into a gallon-size Ziploc bag.  Pay attention.  Carefully - and softly - crush the canes with a hammer.

Try to keep them spread out and not stacked on another - crushing them until they look about like this.

Despite being careful - be prepared.  You’ll find this under the bag.  So - don’t even lift the bag up until you’re ready for ‘em.

In a medium-size bowl - I chunked some pretzel sticks ( about 2 handfuls ) to about 1-inch size.

Most people use those dried or candied cherries in their baking.  I used these!  I drained the juice into a bowl.

Poured the juice back into the jar - and stuck it in the refrigerator. You never wanna throw this juice out!  I pour a little bit of this into my glass of Dr. Pepper!  Works in a Coke, too!

The cherries were sliced into quarters.

Here’s where it all becomes about layers.

Sprinkled a layer of the broken Pretzel Sticks.

Sprinkled a layer of the crushed Candy Canes.

Sprinkled ALL the quartered Cherries.

Now - I do not have a double-boiler.  Who needs one when you have a 3qt. Saucepan and a set of those treasures called Pyrex Mixing Bowls?!

I put about 1-inch of water in the saucepan.  As long as the bowl can rest on the saucepan without touching the water - you’re good to go!

Get the water to a boiling stage.  Turn it down to a low-medium heat. Add your Chocolate Chips to the bowl and stay with them - stirring until they’re all melted enough that you can almost pour them out of the bowl.

Gets messy here.  Smear the melted chocolate over the whole sheet - as much as you can - as quickly as you can.

Yes - you’re gonna pick stuff up.  Yes - you’re gonna get chocolate on your hands.  Just fight with it - and Git ‘er Done!

Mini Marshmallows become the final layer.

Carefully - bring both long sides of the waxed paper up to meet each other.

Gently - squish the mess into a tube - doing all you can to keep from tearing the waxed paper.

(Can you tell which end has the Coconut? )

Slowly twist the ends of the waxed paper - and tuck them under the Roll of Pure Sin!

Stick that puppy in the Refrigerator to set - for about an hour.

I saw this as soon as I closed the door on the fridge.

I did my best to keep from wasting one single chocolate chip.  Truly!

Once the roll has had time to set…

Slowly - Gently - Carefully - pull the waxed paper off the roll.

Cut it into slices with a large chopping knife.

You can go nuts with trying so many other ingredients.  But remember one rule of thumb…

Never use too many ingredients.  You have to keep the layers down to a number safe enough to allow for being able to roll the whole mess into a log - without tearing the waxed paper.

As for using plastic wrap… save your sanity.

Trust me.  Trying to use that stuff with this recipe will destroy your earned pleasure of jumping into a slice of this Certified Diet Killer!

Teresa's Buried Boobs!

( All the other photos are at the end of this posting.  Click on photos for larger view.  Hit your Browser's Back Button to get back here! )

Normally - I am one to refuse baking any main dish that includes pasta - these days.  I dunno.  They seem to have cheated on ingredients with every domestic brand of pasta you find in the grocery stores - enough that the texture becomes mushy - and turns my gut.  If you attempt to add it into the dish uncooked - it usually comes out crispy in ways that can break a horse’s teeth.

( All the Ingredients you'll need for this recipe. )

And then - God blesses me!  My eyes land on Calovita Pasta - and those little Fettuccine “ Nests “ intrigue me enough to take some home to try.  Okay - the fact that the address on the package is located in Italy didn’t exactly dance with my skeptic senses.  Anyway - my first impression was such an “ Ahaaaa ! “ moment with my Spaghetti that I won’t buy any other brand of Fettuccine - any longer!

The texture of this noodle - even after being thrown into the oven after being boiled - reminded me of my Mother’s Tuna Casserole that she made when I was very little.  I can still remember the texture of that noodle.  And after all these years - finally!  I’ve enjoyed a wonderful reunion!  I think everybody knows - the secret to liking Tuna Casserole has everything to do with the texture of the pasta!

This dish I'm sharing here turned out to be a concoction of ingredients that my whole body seemed to be craving - for over a week.  Let’s face it - Chicken breasts can bring about some fairly interesting *cough* conversations - when combined with enough testosterone - beer - and more than one male in the room.  Hence my choice for naming this concoction.  Let’s just get that over with and move on - so we can chow down, Guys!

And “ chow down “ is exactly what my husband did last night.  I have never seen him enjoy eating anything I’ve ever cooked for dinner - anywhere near as much!  It was almost comical.  I’m not sure he realized the noises he began making along the way.  And in between - several times I was being told - “ This is really good, Baby. “

And he was drinking sweet tea!

Okay - here goes!  Here’s the list of all that you’ll need for the entire dish!


Teresa's Buried Boobs

Ingredients -
2 - 4 Chicken Breasts
Course Ground Pepper
Fettuccine Pasta ( cooked al-dente )
2 TBL. Olive Oil
16 oz. Canned Tomatoes
White Sauce w/Herbs (  recipe/Instructions below )
¾ lb. shredded Mozzarella Cheese ( approx. 2 ¾ c. )
1 pkg. Baby Portabella Mushrooms

White Sauce with Herbs
Ingredients -
1 stick unsalted Butter
1 TBL Sea Salt
¼ c. plus 2 TBL. Flour
1 TBL. Chopped fresh Garlic ( approx. 5 good-size cloves )
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
1 c. Chicken Broth
1 ½ c. Pet Milk ( large can )
3 sprigs fresh Basil ( approx. ¾ c. )
4 sprigs fresh Greek Oregano ( approx. 1/3 c. )
1 handful fresh chives ( approx. ½ c. )

Let’s get to burying these Boobs!
1.  Make sure chicken breasts are completely thawed out.
2.  Pinch leaves off Basil.  Stack with largest on the bottom.  Beginning from the end of the largest leaf - roll the bunch of leaves up to the top of the leaves ( like a burrito ).  Cut into thin strips from one end to another.  Place in a bowl ( same size as for eating cereal ).
3.  Strip leaves off Greek Oregano.  Mince with a knife.  Place into bowl with Basil.
5.  Chop Chives same as you would for a baked potato.  Place into bowl with the other two herbs.
6.  Pre-heat oven to 375*.
7.  Wash chicken breasts under cold water and set into your - 2” deep minimum - baking dish.  Sprinkle with course ground black pepper and sea salt.
8.  Bake in pre-heated oven - without lid or foil covering - for 45 minutes.

While you’re baking the boobs - prepare the White Sauce with herbs - pasta - and the mushrooms.
1.  Fill a 3 qt. almost 2/3 of the way with water.  Add Olive Oil.  Speed the process of bringing the water to a boil by placing a lid over the saucepan.  Place pasta into boiling water.  You’ll need to watch the pasta.  Cook until al-dente ( approximately 10 minutes ).  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Keep it in the saucepan with the lid over the top until ready for use.  I usually drizzle a little more olive oil over the pasta and stir it in.  Keeps the pasta from sticking.
2.  Melt stick of butter in 3 qt. saucepan on Medium Heat (very important) .  Add 1 TBL. Sea Salt - Garlic - and pinch of Crushed Red Pepper.  Stir and let meld for about 1 minute.
3.  Using a Whisk - add flour.  Whisk until smooth.  Add Pet Milk and Chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth.
4.  Cook mixture on medium heat - constantly stirring with Whisk for about 20 minutes - or until as thick as cream of mushroom soup.
5.  Once you see a thick wall of sauce trying to remain on the sides of the saucepan - remove from burner.  Don’t forget to turn the burner off !
6.  Add herbs into mixture.  Stir into mixture.
7.  Pull stems off mushrooms.  Clean mushroom buttons with damp paper towel.
8.  Grate the Mozzarella Cheese! ( Set it back in the fridge until the chicken comes out of the oven ! )
Once the Boobs have baked for 45 minutes - remove them from the oven and set on a hot pad in your work area.
1.  See the drippings in the pan?  With a basting brush - brush the drippings up the sides of the pan.  Use a folded paper towel if you don’t have a basting brush.  Do not discard excess drippings.
2.  Distribute mushroom buttons over entire pan.  Follow with pasta.
3.  Without straining canned tomatoes - spoon entire contents over chicken - mushrooms - and pasta.
4.  Very carefully - begin distributing White Sauce with Herbs over entire dish.  You will need to do this in intervals - allowing the sauce time to fall down into the other ingredients.  You may even want to lift a side of each breast with a fork to allow the mixture room to fall in.
5.  Once all the White sauce is distributed across the entire dish - place back into the oven for 35 minutes.
6.  After 35 minutes - remove the pan from the oven.  Distribute the shredded Mozzarella cheese.
7.  Place back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
8.  After removing from the oven - allow to sit for 10 more minutes.
9.  Use a sharp knife to cut sections into the cheese.
10.  Find your chicken breasts with tongs ( or a fork ) and remove chicken breast from pan to plate.
11.  With a large serving spoon - dish out all the other goodies onto your plate!

Yes - things may look a little “ watery “ in the pan - at first.  Don’t worry.  That’s what allows your chicken breast to cook up nicely moist and tender!

I will tell you this much.  Being able to add fresh herbs and your own home-grown and home-canned tomatoes makes such a huge difference in the taste of this dish!!

If you haven’t done so yet - get out there and learn how to grow your own herbs and tomatoes!

Okay now - the fun part - Photos for visual support below!

After baking in oven for 45 minutes.

 Place Mushroom buttons into pan.

Spread the cooked Pasta.

Spoon canned tomatoes over Pasta.

Spread White Sauce with Herbs over entire dish - slowly - in intervals - allowing sauce to move down into the dish.  Place back into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and distribute shredded Mozzarella cheese.  Place back into oven for another 10 minutes.

Buried Boobs!  Wait 10 more minutes after removing them from the oven for the last time - before slicing cheese into sections with a sharp knife.  Using tongs or a fork - go in and pull a breast out and place onto a plate.  Spoon all the other good stuff out onto the plate.