We've Ben making egg rolls for awhile around here, buy recently I've been playing with the "recipe" my husband's mom uses because I think I can make it a little better. I may have hit it just right tonight. Here's what I did....this recipe works best if you have a food processor or salad shooter or similar.
Egg Rolls
2 pkgs egg roll wrappers, 6" square
1 lb ground pork or mild pork sausage
1 head cabbage, quartered, cored, and shredded fine
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 red onion, peeled and quartered
3-4 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
2-3 ribs celery, tops and ends cut off
In food processor, mince onion, garlic, ginger, and celery until finely minced. Heat some olive oil in a skillet, and saute the minced mixture until softened. Add about a teaspoon or two of soy sauce and a teaspoon of Sesame oil. Set aside in a large bowl.
In the bowl of your food processor put in the shredder attachment, and shred carrots and cabbage. Stir this into the sauteed mixture.
Brown and crumble ground pork/sausage, add to cabbage and stir everything together until well combined. Set aside to cool until you can handle it without burning yourself.
Place filling in the center of an egg roll wrapper, and using your finger swipe edges of wrapper with water. Fold top corner toward center, then sides, then roll toward bottom and seal. Place on a well greased baking sheet continue until all the filling is gone, then spray the finished rolls with cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Enjoy with sweet and sour sauce if desired.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Improved Butternut Squash Soup
So I love butternut squash. Pretty much anyway you make it, I'll eat it. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is soup, but I had a hard time convincing my dear husband it was as delicious as I thought it was until tonight. I found the secret to winning him over was to not overcomplicate the flavor and to make sure I got the right smooth texture. Winning! Tonight he said I could repeat this recipe. 😁 Here it is if you'd like to try it.
Butternut Squash Soup
2-3 small butternut squash or one large one
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves minced garlic (I used roasted, but fresh is fine too. Roasted is a bit sweeter)
2-3 carrots, roughly chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
2 cups milk
Salt, pepper, ground sage to taste
Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on a cookie sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and sage. Place in 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes, then set aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
In a soup pot, sauté onion and garlic in the remaining olive oil, and add carrots. Cook until tender, and then scoop out flesh of squash from its skin and add it to onions and carrots. Add chicken broth and bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20-25 minutes. With an immersion or stick blender (or transfer to blender), purée until smooth. Add milk and seasonings. Simmer another 10-15 until it comes to temperature again.
Serve hot with some sour cream and bacon bits if desired, or just on its own. We had homemade focaccia with ours. Enjoy!
Butternut Squash Soup
2-3 small butternut squash or one large one
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves minced garlic (I used roasted, but fresh is fine too. Roasted is a bit sweeter)
2-3 carrots, roughly chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
2 cups milk
Salt, pepper, ground sage to taste
Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on a cookie sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and sage. Place in 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes, then set aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
In a soup pot, sauté onion and garlic in the remaining olive oil, and add carrots. Cook until tender, and then scoop out flesh of squash from its skin and add it to onions and carrots. Add chicken broth and bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20-25 minutes. With an immersion or stick blender (or transfer to blender), purée until smooth. Add milk and seasonings. Simmer another 10-15 until it comes to temperature again.
Serve hot with some sour cream and bacon bits if desired, or just on its own. We had homemade focaccia with ours. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit, so I decided to write it down before I forgot what I did. I have a habit of making things as I go and then not being able to repeat it because I didn't follow any particular recipe. Anyway, this one is simple and straight forward, and real ingredients. I've been in a bit of a recipe rut lately, so it was good for me to make something that worked well for the family and get back into a cooking mood again.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
2 chicken breasts
2 c brown rice
5 c water
1-2 tsp better than boullion (chicken base, or you can use 2 cans of chicken broth instead of water)
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
onion powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs for topping
I used a rice cooker for the rice, so I just put the water and rice and chicken base in the rice cooker and set it to cook. This takes the longest amount of time, so you want to do this about 35 minutes before you start the other stuff. Brown rice takes about twice as long as regular rice. You can use regular rice, I just like to add whole grains to our diet where we can.
Season chicken with garlic and onion powders and salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet and brown chicken on all sides, then place on baking sheet and finish cooking in oven (or in our case, toaster oven).
In the chicken drippings in the same skillet, saute the onions, carrots, and celery until tender. Set aside in a large bowl until chicken and rice are done cooking. When the chicken and rice are cooked, mix together veggies, chicken, rice, and cheeses and then pour into a greased baking dish, and then top with more cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until topping browns and casserole is hot and bubbly.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
2 chicken breasts
2 c brown rice
5 c water
1-2 tsp better than boullion (chicken base, or you can use 2 cans of chicken broth instead of water)
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
onion powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs for topping
I used a rice cooker for the rice, so I just put the water and rice and chicken base in the rice cooker and set it to cook. This takes the longest amount of time, so you want to do this about 35 minutes before you start the other stuff. Brown rice takes about twice as long as regular rice. You can use regular rice, I just like to add whole grains to our diet where we can.
Season chicken with garlic and onion powders and salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet and brown chicken on all sides, then place on baking sheet and finish cooking in oven (or in our case, toaster oven).
In the chicken drippings in the same skillet, saute the onions, carrots, and celery until tender. Set aside in a large bowl until chicken and rice are done cooking. When the chicken and rice are cooked, mix together veggies, chicken, rice, and cheeses and then pour into a greased baking dish, and then top with more cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until topping browns and casserole is hot and bubbly.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Basic Marinara Sauce
I have had a lot of friends asking me for my marinara sauce recipe lately because I've been making oodles of it from our garden tomatoes in order to can them and save them for later in the year. It's very basic and can be adapted to whatever you want. It's also very versatile in the way you use it (pasta, pizza, dipping sauce, lasagna, whatever you want). It's also sort of free form, being that I just kind of wing it based on the amount of tomatoes I have to use at the time (we planted 13 tomato plants this year, our harvest has been crazy huge...I've been bringing in between 3 and 5 pounds a day to use up). But here is a basic how-to on using fresh tomatoes to make marinara sauce. It's safe for canning, and a great way to use your garden veggies.
Basic Marinara Sauce (based on a 3 pound tomato batch)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1/2 head of garlic, minced
1-2 bell peppers, chopped
whatever other veggies you want to include, about a cup of each (mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, celery, etc)
3 lbs tomatoes, tops cut off and quartered (skins left on, and seeds intact)
1-2 small cans of tomato paste
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (my Italian friend says no way, but I don't use wine in my cooking, so this is to substitute for that)
handful of fresh basil, if you have it
In a very large (8-10 quarts), heat olive oil, and then add onions and garlic, and cook until tender. Add bell peppers and other vegetables and cook until slightly softened. Add tomatoes and seasonings and balsamic vinegar to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer, and continue to simmer on medium low heat for several hours. After about 1-2 hours, add tomato paste (to thicken) use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. (If you don't have one of those you can puree it in batches in your blender or food processor, I just find the stick blender is convenient to use directly on the stove top.) Continue to simmer, the secret to this sauce is not the ingredients, it's the low, slow cooking process. I usually cook it about 10-12 hours before putting it in jars.
If canning, follow the instructions of how to can tomato sauce. I looked it up online. You can also freeze this. We were able to get about 6 quarts canned from one batch of sauce.
Basic Marinara Sauce (based on a 3 pound tomato batch)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1/2 head of garlic, minced
1-2 bell peppers, chopped
whatever other veggies you want to include, about a cup of each (mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, celery, etc)
3 lbs tomatoes, tops cut off and quartered (skins left on, and seeds intact)
1-2 small cans of tomato paste
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (my Italian friend says no way, but I don't use wine in my cooking, so this is to substitute for that)
handful of fresh basil, if you have it
In a very large (8-10 quarts), heat olive oil, and then add onions and garlic, and cook until tender. Add bell peppers and other vegetables and cook until slightly softened. Add tomatoes and seasonings and balsamic vinegar to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer, and continue to simmer on medium low heat for several hours. After about 1-2 hours, add tomato paste (to thicken) use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. (If you don't have one of those you can puree it in batches in your blender or food processor, I just find the stick blender is convenient to use directly on the stove top.) Continue to simmer, the secret to this sauce is not the ingredients, it's the low, slow cooking process. I usually cook it about 10-12 hours before putting it in jars.
If canning, follow the instructions of how to can tomato sauce. I looked it up online. You can also freeze this. We were able to get about 6 quarts canned from one batch of sauce.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Basic Fresh Salsa
As it is summer, and we have a wealth of tomatoes coming from our garden, and at farmers markets everywhere, I've been trying to find ways to make use of them. Often I will make homemade spaghetti sauce, but lately I've been feeling like salsa--who doesn't like a fresh batch of salsa?! So good, right? So I've been toying with recipes and methods and finally managed to get a good basic recipe. Of course you can tweak this if you like more spice or less, or if you want to add pineapple or diced mango or something after....I prefer this one though, it's a lot like what you would find at a Mexican cantina with chips before your meal comes. Very fresh tasting, and perfect for those snack attacks on hot summer days! This mixes up best in a food processor, but if you want you can use a blender, just make sure you pulse instead of just blend it or it will be too soupy.
Fresh Salsa (NOT for canning...just for chips, tacos, burritos, whatever)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 sweet bell peppers (I like red, but whatever you prefer), seeded and halved
2-3 jalapeno peppers, tops cut off, seeded/halved, and ribs removed
3 limes
tomatoes.... lots of them. If you use romas like we did from the garden, they were pretty small, so I used a lot (about 15 or so) plus the big beefsteak ones we got in our Bountiful Basket. You're aiming for about 4 cups of cut tomatoes. You'll want to scoop the seeds out to reduce the liquid in the salsa--just use a spoon and scoop out the seeds and keep the flesh. Usually easiest to do if you quarter them first.
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
On a baking sheet, place pepper halves (bell and jalapenos) cut side down, and broil at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Set aside. In a skillet on the stove, place onion cut side down on dry pan (NO OIL), and char until lightly blackened and outside layers begin to slightly soften.
In food processor, pulse garlic until chopped finely. Add onion halves until evenly chopped, and then add peppers. Once everything is fully chopped evenly, add the seeded tomatoes, and the juice of the limes. Pulse until all of it is evenly chopped and mixed (it will be blended, think restaurant salsa), and then add salt and cilantro last. If you want, you can chop the cilantro roughly and mix it in by hand if you like it in bigger pieces. I prefer it all incorporated.
Serve on tacos, with chips, in burritos, on top of rice or enchiladas. Options are endless. My favorite way is with chips as soon as it's done. Keeps in the fridge about a week, but watch it disappear!! I bet it won't last that long....
Fresh Salsa (NOT for canning...just for chips, tacos, burritos, whatever)
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 sweet bell peppers (I like red, but whatever you prefer), seeded and halved
2-3 jalapeno peppers, tops cut off, seeded/halved, and ribs removed
3 limes
tomatoes.... lots of them. If you use romas like we did from the garden, they were pretty small, so I used a lot (about 15 or so) plus the big beefsteak ones we got in our Bountiful Basket. You're aiming for about 4 cups of cut tomatoes. You'll want to scoop the seeds out to reduce the liquid in the salsa--just use a spoon and scoop out the seeds and keep the flesh. Usually easiest to do if you quarter them first.
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
On a baking sheet, place pepper halves (bell and jalapenos) cut side down, and broil at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Set aside. In a skillet on the stove, place onion cut side down on dry pan (NO OIL), and char until lightly blackened and outside layers begin to slightly soften.
In food processor, pulse garlic until chopped finely. Add onion halves until evenly chopped, and then add peppers. Once everything is fully chopped evenly, add the seeded tomatoes, and the juice of the limes. Pulse until all of it is evenly chopped and mixed (it will be blended, think restaurant salsa), and then add salt and cilantro last. If you want, you can chop the cilantro roughly and mix it in by hand if you like it in bigger pieces. I prefer it all incorporated.
Serve on tacos, with chips, in burritos, on top of rice or enchiladas. Options are endless. My favorite way is with chips as soon as it's done. Keeps in the fridge about a week, but watch it disappear!! I bet it won't last that long....
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Bacon Potato Corn Chowder
So this one was probably a repeat of something I've done before but this time I did it much better, so I am posting it this time so I do it this way again. ;) It was just the right thickness and the bacon gave the perfect amount of flavor, and it was just really good. So here we go. Sorry, no picture this time, I didn't think about it ahead of time. It's been awhile since I posted on here... Makes a lot, probably enough for 10 or 12, or you can freeze it and use it again later for a night you are too tired to cook.
Bacon Potato Corn Chowder
1 lb thick cut bacon, chopped small
2 onions, diced small
1 head of celery, chopped
5 or 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 tbsp flour
4 c chicken broth
2 c milk (I used whole, but anything will do)
6-7 medium potatoes, diced
1 bag frozen corn (about 4 cups)
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
black pepper (bacon is usually salty enough, so I didn't add salt)
In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until it starts to brown and the fat is rendered. Add onion and keep cooking until the onions are tender, then add celery and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes until the celery is tender and somewhat translucent. Sprinkle flour in, and stir until it coats the veggies and bacon and continue to cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, then add broth. Add chopped potatoes and corn, and simmer for 10 minutes. Lastly, add your milk and herbs or spices. Stir it all together and simmer for at least half an hour...but if you want just let it simmer all afternoon on low heat, covered, until you are ready to eat.
I served it with sharp cheddar cheese on top, and homemade rolls on the side. It's good enough on it's own of course, but the bread was nice to round out the meal. :)
Bacon Potato Corn Chowder
1 lb thick cut bacon, chopped small
2 onions, diced small
1 head of celery, chopped
5 or 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 tbsp flour
4 c chicken broth
2 c milk (I used whole, but anything will do)
6-7 medium potatoes, diced
1 bag frozen corn (about 4 cups)
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
black pepper (bacon is usually salty enough, so I didn't add salt)
In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until it starts to brown and the fat is rendered. Add onion and keep cooking until the onions are tender, then add celery and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes until the celery is tender and somewhat translucent. Sprinkle flour in, and stir until it coats the veggies and bacon and continue to cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, then add broth. Add chopped potatoes and corn, and simmer for 10 minutes. Lastly, add your milk and herbs or spices. Stir it all together and simmer for at least half an hour...but if you want just let it simmer all afternoon on low heat, covered, until you are ready to eat.
I served it with sharp cheddar cheese on top, and homemade rolls on the side. It's good enough on it's own of course, but the bread was nice to round out the meal. :)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Carrot Ginger Soup
A couple weeks ago my parents went to spend a week with my grandparents in Arizona. They hadn't had a vacation by themselves like that for a long time and they had a nice time visiting and taking time off their regular lives. When they got back I was saying at family dinner that I had about 4-5 bags of carrots in my fridge which we'd accumulated over a couple of weeks from our Bountiful Basket pick up each week. (The basket is different each week but for those two weeks I happened to get about 3 bags of carrots each.) Dad said to me that Grandma had made a carrot ginger soup recipe while they were visiting and he said it was fantastic. Grandma served it cold to them one night and Dad said he doesn't usually like cold soups but he really liked this one. Of course that night, I sent an email to Grandma to get the recipe so I could try something new and use up all of the carrots I had waiting in the fridge.
She sent it to me a couple days later and a few days ago I got the rest of the ingredients I needed and here we are, I made it tonight. I doubled it, as I thought it might be good for dinner tonight as well as cold tomorrow for lunch possibly. It used 2 bags of carrots, and it was pretty delicious. I hope you like it as much as my family did. It's a very pretty color and the ginger gives it a nice punch.
Carrot Ginger Soup
3 c chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 medium onion, chopped
8 carrots, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish, optional
In a large pot, heat olive oil, and add onion and ginger, and saute til onions are tender. Add vegetable or chicken stock and carrots, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the carrots are soft. Add salt and pepper. Blend in your blender, or with your immersion blender, or in a food processor. Serve warm, or chill and serve later with sour cream and cilantro.
**This recipe comes from ChowLocally.com originally**
She sent it to me a couple days later and a few days ago I got the rest of the ingredients I needed and here we are, I made it tonight. I doubled it, as I thought it might be good for dinner tonight as well as cold tomorrow for lunch possibly. It used 2 bags of carrots, and it was pretty delicious. I hope you like it as much as my family did. It's a very pretty color and the ginger gives it a nice punch.
Carrot Ginger Soup
3 c chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 medium onion, chopped
8 carrots, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish, optional
In a large pot, heat olive oil, and add onion and ginger, and saute til onions are tender. Add vegetable or chicken stock and carrots, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the carrots are soft. Add salt and pepper. Blend in your blender, or with your immersion blender, or in a food processor. Serve warm, or chill and serve later with sour cream and cilantro.
**This recipe comes from ChowLocally.com originally**
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Blueberry Pie
Okay so I've made pie and posted it on here before, but apparently not blueberry pie. It's very similar to other fruit pies I've done, with just a few tweaks to accentuate the blueberry flavor (as opposed to apple pie with cinnamon, or peach pie with almond flavoring, this one has lemon juice and some white sugar).
I like to use sweet fruit to start with so I don't have to add a lot of sugar, and that way I just add some cornstarch, flour, or tapioca to thicken the fruit juices. This one is a favorite of my husband, and I enjoy it too. It's a great fresh summery flavor, and perfect for when blueberries are cheap and in season.
Blueberry Pie
1 recipe 9" basic double crust pie crust (follow link for recipe and tutorial)
5 c blueberries, rinsed and picked over (get rid of the squished ones, make sure there aren't stray stems or flowers on your berries)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp quick tapioca or cornstarch (or flour, if you don't have the other two...the benefit of cornstarch or tapioca is that they are flavorless)
1/3 c sugar (or other sweetener equivalent)
1/8 tsp salt
Follow the tutorial in the link above to make your crust and then put it in the fridge (or freezer if you are short on time like I was tonight). You'll want it cold when you roll it out, makes it easier to handle. If you put it in the fridge it will take about an hour or two to chill, if the freezer, about 20 minutes.
Combine blueberries, lemon juice, sugar or sweetener, cornstarch or tapioca, and salt in a medium bowl and stir well. Set aside for 15 minutes. Set your oven to 425 degrees.
By the time your oven is set, your berries should be ready and it's time to roll out the dough. The easiest way I've found to do this is to flour a pastry mat or board well, and then place the dough on top, and then dust the top of the disc of dough with a bit more flour, then cover with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap just keeps your rolling pin from sticking to the dough, and makes it easier to peel your dough off the mat so you can place it in your pie pan. Roll your dough out into a circle about 9" in diameter, and then place the first crust in the bottom of your pan. Make sure you press it down a bit so it gets into the edges of the pan. Fill the bottom crust with your berries, and then repeat the process with the top crust. You'll want to take the top and bottom crusts and tuck them under around the edges of the pan and crimp the edges to seal everything in, and then cut some slits in the top crust for venting (if you want to be cute about it, you can use a cookie cutter or cut a design. I'm never fussy about that.)
Bake for 30 minutes at 425, and then reduce temp to 350 and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes. The first half is to bake the crust, and the second to cook the filling. Let cool for about 20 minutes at least before serving.
This one is good at room temp too, but I love it warm with some vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Rainbow Chard Pasta
Lately my husband and I have been ordering Bountiful Baskets every week to make sure we always have a steady supply of produce and we aren't paying an arm and a leg for it. If you haven't done it before, it's really a great option to save some money and make sure you are getting your fruits and veggies. $15 for about 30 lbs of produce. It's half veggies and half fruit, and always good stuff. They try to get stuff as local as possible, so you know it's not been sitting in a truck forever.
One of the things about Bountiful Baskets is that it's always different. Every week you go pick it up and you never know what is going to be inside. Sometimes you get stuff you've never seen before, and sometimes it's stuff you've used your whole life. I like the adventure it brings because it forces me to try new recipes and eat new things. This time we got some Rainbow Swiss Chard, and it was one of those things I have rarely, if ever, used. I didn't really know what I was going to do with it, even though I know there are lots of options, and I was kind of pondering things before I decided to cook with it.
Yesterday Bountiful Baskets had a post on Facebook asking people to share what they made for dinner last night. I happened to find a comment from someone saying that they sauteed it and pureed it and made a pasta sauce with it. I thought..."hmm...that sounds like an interesting idea I could try out that I could probably get my husband to try out...." and here we are! I promise it turned out really delicious and you will be surprised at how much you'll like it. Even my 12 month old ate it up. It was tasty.
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One of the things about Bountiful Baskets is that it's always different. Every week you go pick it up and you never know what is going to be inside. Sometimes you get stuff you've never seen before, and sometimes it's stuff you've used your whole life. I like the adventure it brings because it forces me to try new recipes and eat new things. This time we got some Rainbow Swiss Chard, and it was one of those things I have rarely, if ever, used. I didn't really know what I was going to do with it, even though I know there are lots of options, and I was kind of pondering things before I decided to cook with it.
Yesterday Bountiful Baskets had a post on Facebook asking people to share what they made for dinner last night. I happened to find a comment from someone saying that they sauteed it and pureed it and made a pasta sauce with it. I thought..."hmm...that sounds like an interesting idea I could try out that I could probably get my husband to try out...." and here we are! I promise it turned out really delicious and you will be surprised at how much you'll like it. Even my 12 month old ate it up. It was tasty.
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Rainbow Chard Pasta (with Chicken and Grape Tomatoes)
2 bunches rainbow or red swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp granulated garlic, or 2 cloves chopped garlic
salt and pepper
1/4 c water
1 can evaporated milk
1 can chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 c parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 chicken breasts
1 clam shell grape tomatoes
1 lb pasta (I used whole wheat penne, but you can use any short cut pasta you like. I don't recommend spaghetti though)
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add onions and garlic. Saute til they become tender, and then add chopped chard. Continue to saute until it becomes soft and tender and the chard reduces by half its size. Add salt and pepper, and stir again. Dump entire contents into your blender. Add the water, and blend until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
Turn the broiler on in your oven. Season chicken with granulated garlic and salt and pepper, and broil for 35-40 minutes. While this is going, bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta.
In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and the butter until butter melts, and then add flour. Whisk until combined and cook for about a minute. Whisk in chicken broth and then evaporated milk and simmer for 5 minutes, and then add garlic, and poultry seasoning. Let this simmer for a few minutes and then add the cheese and stir in until completely incorporated into the sauce. Add the chard puree to the sauce, and stir until completely incorporated.
**this sauce makes a lot, so you may want to use the other half for a different recipe. I plan to use the second half for something for dinner tomorrow.**
Cook pasta according to pkg directions in the boiling water, and then drain. Place in a large serving bowl and add grape tomatoes and sauce while still hot. Cut broiled chicken into bite sized strips and toss with pasta and sauce and tomatoes. Serve hot with more parmesan cheese on top.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Buttermilk Pancakes
The last few days have been tough around our house because our little guy has been cutting 3 teeth at once. Today the husband came home to a cranky baby, an unshowered wife, and a messy house. He immediately took over by putting the baby in the chair to eat, letting me shower, and doing dishes. He also decided tonight was a good night for pancakes... being that a) we needed to use up some buttermilk we had in the fridge, and b) we needed something simple and fast.
So I went on a hunt for a recipe (being that I usually cheat and use Bisquick (though I sometimes doctor it) for pancakes/waffles/biscuits/shortcake/etc). I found one on AllRecipes, which is a great resource for loads of different ingredients and ideas. I love that you can do an ingredient search there and find all kinds of different recipes.
This recipe turned out very well, but made a BOATLOAD of pancakes. So unless you have a family of 6 or 8 people, I would half it. I think this single batch made about 16 pancakes. They were, however, very delicious and I think they will be good leftover by reheating them in the toaster oven.
Buttermilk Pancakes
3 c all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar (I left this out, they turned out fine without it)
3 tsp baking powder (very important...makes them fluffy)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 c buttermilk
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1/3 c melted butter (I bet vegetable oil would work fine, I didn't mess with it this time but after eating them I don't think it would make a big difference and will probably swap it next time)
Optional: blueberries or strawberries or other fruits you like in your pancakes
In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt). Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together milk, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs.
Heat a large electric griddle (or cast iron one/or skillet on the stove), to roughly 300 degrees. Should be hot enough that a drop of water will skip on the top of the pan.
When griddle is good and hot, combine wet ingredients with the dry, and mix until blended (will be slightly lumpy, that's okay). Grease the skillet or griddle and using a ladle or measuring cup pour batter onto griddle in 1/2 c amount. (If you decided to add fruit, put it in each pancake after pouring onto griddle)
When bubbles around the edges stop filling up and bubbling again (creating little holes or craters around the edges), flip over and cook the other side.
Serve hot with your favorite pancake toppings. My husband likes peanut butter and sugar free syrup, I enjoy syrup and sometimes butter, or fruit, or sometimes thinned down jam. Whatever you like. Enjoy!
So I went on a hunt for a recipe (being that I usually cheat and use Bisquick (though I sometimes doctor it) for pancakes/waffles/biscuits/shortcake/etc). I found one on AllRecipes, which is a great resource for loads of different ingredients and ideas. I love that you can do an ingredient search there and find all kinds of different recipes.
This recipe turned out very well, but made a BOATLOAD of pancakes. So unless you have a family of 6 or 8 people, I would half it. I think this single batch made about 16 pancakes. They were, however, very delicious and I think they will be good leftover by reheating them in the toaster oven.
Buttermilk Pancakes
3 c all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar (I left this out, they turned out fine without it)
3 tsp baking powder (very important...makes them fluffy)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 c buttermilk
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1/3 c melted butter (I bet vegetable oil would work fine, I didn't mess with it this time but after eating them I don't think it would make a big difference and will probably swap it next time)
Optional: blueberries or strawberries or other fruits you like in your pancakes
In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt). Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together milk, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs.
Heat a large electric griddle (or cast iron one/or skillet on the stove), to roughly 300 degrees. Should be hot enough that a drop of water will skip on the top of the pan.
When griddle is good and hot, combine wet ingredients with the dry, and mix until blended (will be slightly lumpy, that's okay). Grease the skillet or griddle and using a ladle or measuring cup pour batter onto griddle in 1/2 c amount. (If you decided to add fruit, put it in each pancake after pouring onto griddle)
When bubbles around the edges stop filling up and bubbling again (creating little holes or craters around the edges), flip over and cook the other side.
Serve hot with your favorite pancake toppings. My husband likes peanut butter and sugar free syrup, I enjoy syrup and sometimes butter, or fruit, or sometimes thinned down jam. Whatever you like. Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Asian Style Cabbage & Chicken Slaw
So lately in our Bountiful Baskets we've been getting a lot of cabbage. I am usually not a big fan of cabbage (I'll eat it but usually only certain ways, and not all that often). In order to not waste what we had (we'd accumulated 2 heads over a couple of weeks and hadn't used any of it), I decided to make an Asian style slaw with cabbage, carrots, onions, peppers, chicken, and a sesame ginger dressing. It turned out pretty well, and we ate it along side some grilled pineapple and some watermelon spears.
The great thing about this salad is that it keeps pretty well, and actually makes good leftovers. You can kind of mix and match ingredients as you please, so it's versatile, and it's a great option for those hot summer nights when you don't want to use the stove because it's just too dang hot... which was my issue tonight. You can make it ahead of time and stick it in the fridge to eat later.
Anyway, I hope you like it like I did, and maybe find some variations that you might like better. Enjoy!
Asian Style Cabbage & Chicken Slaw
1 small head of cabbage cored, and either shredded or sliced thin with a knife)
3-4 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 white or yellow onion, sliced very thin (I used my salad shooter)
cold water, and 1 tbsp sugar
1 green or red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
a few shakes of ground ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
Sesame Ginger salad dressing (we used the Newman's Own Lite version)
Optional add-ons I didn't have in the kitchen tonight: sliced almonds, crunched dry ramen noodles, those crispy "chow mein" noodle things, peanuts, edamame, snow peas, green onions, celery, radishes...the list goes on.
In a small bowl, put onions in cold water and sprinkle in sugar, let stand for 5-10 minutes. This takes the bitterness and strong flavor out of the onion and makes it milder and a bit sweeter...learned this trick from my mom. Also works for radishes and green onions.
In a large bowl (the one you plan to serve in), combine cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and onions (drain them first of course). Set aside.
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, and then stir fry in a skillet or wok. When the chicken is about halfway cooked, add minced garlic, ground ginger, and soy sauce. Continue to cook until completely cooked through.
This part is up to you....Because we used a wok, we just tossed the salad ingredients in with the chicken (in the still hot wok) and tossed it around a bit to combine everything and make sure the slaw got all of the good flavor of the chicken and its juices. If you don't have a wok, you can just put the hot chicken and its juices into your bowl and quickly stir it so everything coats well and mixes together. Then add your dressing to taste, toss and serve (or chill in fridge to eat later).
The great thing about this salad is that it keeps pretty well, and actually makes good leftovers. You can kind of mix and match ingredients as you please, so it's versatile, and it's a great option for those hot summer nights when you don't want to use the stove because it's just too dang hot... which was my issue tonight. You can make it ahead of time and stick it in the fridge to eat later.
Anyway, I hope you like it like I did, and maybe find some variations that you might like better. Enjoy!
Asian Style Cabbage & Chicken Slaw
1 small head of cabbage cored, and either shredded or sliced thin with a knife)
3-4 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 white or yellow onion, sliced very thin (I used my salad shooter)
cold water, and 1 tbsp sugar
1 green or red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
a few shakes of ground ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
Sesame Ginger salad dressing (we used the Newman's Own Lite version)
Optional add-ons I didn't have in the kitchen tonight: sliced almonds, crunched dry ramen noodles, those crispy "chow mein" noodle things, peanuts, edamame, snow peas, green onions, celery, radishes...the list goes on.
In a small bowl, put onions in cold water and sprinkle in sugar, let stand for 5-10 minutes. This takes the bitterness and strong flavor out of the onion and makes it milder and a bit sweeter...learned this trick from my mom. Also works for radishes and green onions.
In a large bowl (the one you plan to serve in), combine cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and onions (drain them first of course). Set aside.
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, and then stir fry in a skillet or wok. When the chicken is about halfway cooked, add minced garlic, ground ginger, and soy sauce. Continue to cook until completely cooked through.
This part is up to you....Because we used a wok, we just tossed the salad ingredients in with the chicken (in the still hot wok) and tossed it around a bit to combine everything and make sure the slaw got all of the good flavor of the chicken and its juices. If you don't have a wok, you can just put the hot chicken and its juices into your bowl and quickly stir it so everything coats well and mixes together. Then add your dressing to taste, toss and serve (or chill in fridge to eat later).
Copy Cat Recipe for Subway Honey Oat Bread
Alright, folks....this is one my husband found online because he wanted me to make him bread to make his sandwiches on for lunches....This was in order to reduce the amount of times he made Subway runs in the middle of his workday, and therefore reduce his lunch spending budget to less than $30 instead of $60 per month. I of course asked if he would be okay with me buying sub rolls or hoagie rolls from the grocery store, and apparently they aren't good enough and don't work very well. So we went on a hunt to find a recipe to make this bread which hopefully will solve our problem. (Remember, this is mostly to save money, and I personally happen to have the time, and don't mind baking bread once a week for our family. If you don't have the time or desire, feel free to just buy the hoagie rolls at the store.)
I found the original recipe here, but it was missing some very important details in the directions that you would only notice and know how to do if you were a bread baker to begin with. I want to tweak it enough that even the most novice bread makers can make this, so it is more fool proof. Whoever wrote the recipe is possibly great at making bread, but not good at writing recipes. So I am going to re-write the recipe with a couple of changes in directions (ingredients remain the same) so anyone can make this bread. That is, if you have a desire to make your own subway sandwich rolls. :)
Copy Cat Subway Honey Oat Bread
1 1/2 c bread flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c buttermilk
1 egg
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar (not enough to sweeten, it's just there to feed the yeast)
1 tsp salt
Topping (if desired)
2 tbsp warmed honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp rolled oats
(Directions: mix together honey and oil. Brush on loaves, sprinkle oats on top when ready to bake)
In a medium bowl, combine flours and salt; set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat buttermilk just until warm. You may need to whisk it as it heats up because it may separate (mine did). Remember, you don't want it to boil or even bubble, just until it's warm. Remove from heat and whisk in egg, and then add sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In your stand mixer (I have a Kitchen Aid, but a Bosch would work fine. You can do this by hand but it gets to be a pretty stiff dough so when you add the last half of the flour, you'll need to get rid of your spatula or spoon and knead by hand), slowly add flour mix to the buttermilk mix. Knead in mixer for 5 minutes, then remove from mixer and hand knead for another 5 minutes.
Spray the inside of your mixer bowl with cooking spray, and then replace dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should be double in size when done.
Shape dough into 10 inch loaves/logs (like french bread...don't use a loaf pan), and let rise again. Brush with honey mixture and sprinkle oats. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
**I'm in the process of figuring out if bread flour is really necessary or if all purpose would do just fine. The difference between the two flours is the percentage of gluten, which makes the dough more elastic and helps it to rise and be softer. Bread flour has more gluten. I plan to make a batch with all purpose flour after making the one with bread flour and seeing if there is a marked difference. Bread flour does cost more and it's harder to get in large quantities.**
I found the original recipe here, but it was missing some very important details in the directions that you would only notice and know how to do if you were a bread baker to begin with. I want to tweak it enough that even the most novice bread makers can make this, so it is more fool proof. Whoever wrote the recipe is possibly great at making bread, but not good at writing recipes. So I am going to re-write the recipe with a couple of changes in directions (ingredients remain the same) so anyone can make this bread. That is, if you have a desire to make your own subway sandwich rolls. :)
Copy Cat Subway Honey Oat Bread
1 1/2 c bread flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c buttermilk
1 egg
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar (not enough to sweeten, it's just there to feed the yeast)
1 tsp salt
Topping (if desired)
2 tbsp warmed honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp rolled oats
(Directions: mix together honey and oil. Brush on loaves, sprinkle oats on top when ready to bake)
In a medium bowl, combine flours and salt; set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat buttermilk just until warm. You may need to whisk it as it heats up because it may separate (mine did). Remember, you don't want it to boil or even bubble, just until it's warm. Remove from heat and whisk in egg, and then add sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In your stand mixer (I have a Kitchen Aid, but a Bosch would work fine. You can do this by hand but it gets to be a pretty stiff dough so when you add the last half of the flour, you'll need to get rid of your spatula or spoon and knead by hand), slowly add flour mix to the buttermilk mix. Knead in mixer for 5 minutes, then remove from mixer and hand knead for another 5 minutes.
Spray the inside of your mixer bowl with cooking spray, and then replace dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should be double in size when done.
Shape dough into 10 inch loaves/logs (like french bread...don't use a loaf pan), and let rise again. Brush with honey mixture and sprinkle oats. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
**I'm in the process of figuring out if bread flour is really necessary or if all purpose would do just fine. The difference between the two flours is the percentage of gluten, which makes the dough more elastic and helps it to rise and be softer. Bread flour has more gluten. I plan to make a batch with all purpose flour after making the one with bread flour and seeing if there is a marked difference. Bread flour does cost more and it's harder to get in large quantities.**
Monday, May 6, 2013
Lion House Rolls
These rolls are a big hit in my husband's family for just about any occasion. They have them every Thanksgiving and Christmas without fail and sometimes they manage to prevail on my husband's mom to make them just randomly throughout the year. I made them last year for Thanksgiving for my husband since it was our turn to spend it with my family (my family does not have a tradition of rolls, we figure stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pie, etc. is enough carbs for the day...why add one more?) and ever since making them the first time I have realized how quick and easy they are to make. They are really delicious, and very versatile for pretty much any occasion.
The recipe actually comes from a restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City called The Lion House, and is very famous through all of Utah, and the LDS/Mormon community. You'd think that means it's a special secret recipe, but it's actually a pretty standard white roll recipe. It turns out very soft, and it's just a very good go-to roll recipe.
Tonight it served as the pulled pork sandwich roll. I made them slightly over sized this time (Partly on purpose, partly accidentally. They turned out bigger than I had planned.) and they worked very well for our dinner.
So however you decide to serve them, I hope you love them as much as our family does.
Lion House Rolls
2 c warm water
2/3 c nonfat dry milk
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/3 c melted butter
1/4 sugar
5 1/2 c all purpose flour
In your stand mixer, combine water and dry milk. Add yeast and sugar and let stand 3-5 minutes. Blend together using dough hook. Add egg, melted butter, and 2 c of the flour. Mix the flour in til every thing is wet and then raise the setting to medium and continue to mix for 2 minutes. Add 2 more cups and repeat process. Keep going until all flour is added.
Spray the top of the dough with some cooking spray and then cover with plastic wrap and let raise to double size (takes about 45 minutes). When risen, spray hands with cooking spray and then make small balls from the dough and place on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Should make about 20 rolls, or 12 over sized ones. Let raise again, 20-30 minutes, and then bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
When done baking, brush with butter to keep them from getting hard. These are delicious warm but also great the next day. Enjoy!
The recipe actually comes from a restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City called The Lion House, and is very famous through all of Utah, and the LDS/Mormon community. You'd think that means it's a special secret recipe, but it's actually a pretty standard white roll recipe. It turns out very soft, and it's just a very good go-to roll recipe.
Tonight it served as the pulled pork sandwich roll. I made them slightly over sized this time (Partly on purpose, partly accidentally. They turned out bigger than I had planned.) and they worked very well for our dinner.
So however you decide to serve them, I hope you love them as much as our family does.
Lion House Rolls
2 c warm water
2/3 c nonfat dry milk
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/3 c melted butter
1/4 sugar
5 1/2 c all purpose flour
In your stand mixer, combine water and dry milk. Add yeast and sugar and let stand 3-5 minutes. Blend together using dough hook. Add egg, melted butter, and 2 c of the flour. Mix the flour in til every thing is wet and then raise the setting to medium and continue to mix for 2 minutes. Add 2 more cups and repeat process. Keep going until all flour is added.
Spray the top of the dough with some cooking spray and then cover with plastic wrap and let raise to double size (takes about 45 minutes). When risen, spray hands with cooking spray and then make small balls from the dough and place on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Should make about 20 rolls, or 12 over sized ones. Let raise again, 20-30 minutes, and then bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
When done baking, brush with butter to keep them from getting hard. These are delicious warm but also great the next day. Enjoy!
Watermelon Lemonade
This one was something my husband wanted to try since the last few times we've ordered our Bountiful Basket we have gotten those small (dulcinea brand) watermelons, and we had some lemons lying around, so why not try one of the billions of recipes available on Pinterest? It was kind of a "fly by the seat of our pants" recipe, but it turned out fairly well. Accompanied our pulled pork sandwiches and corn very well.
Watermelon Lemonade
1 small watermelon, cut into chunks (Dulcinea sweet I think they're called, they are only a pound or 2 each)
3-4 lemons, juiced
1/2 c sugar or Splenda
1-2 cups water
Blend watermelon chunks in your blender til liquid, and then strain through a sieve to catch the seeds and pulp. Pour this into a half gallon pitcher. Add juice from lemons, sugar/Splenda, and water and stir well. (we added a bit more lemon than the recipe we found suggested, the watermelon we had was pretty sweet and we wanted a bit more tartness to balance it.) Serve chilled or over ice.
Watermelon Lemonade
1 small watermelon, cut into chunks (Dulcinea sweet I think they're called, they are only a pound or 2 each)
3-4 lemons, juiced
1/2 c sugar or Splenda
1-2 cups water
Blend watermelon chunks in your blender til liquid, and then strain through a sieve to catch the seeds and pulp. Pour this into a half gallon pitcher. Add juice from lemons, sugar/Splenda, and water and stir well. (we added a bit more lemon than the recipe we found suggested, the watermelon we had was pretty sweet and we wanted a bit more tartness to balance it.) Serve chilled or over ice.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
I have to admit here, this recipe is not fully homemade because I did use a bottled BBQ sauce. It wasn't a fancy brand or anything specific, just a honey BBQ flavored sauce. It's super simple, and the end result was really pretty tasty. It's not the most healthy thing on the planet, but it is actually healthier than some other things out there. It was a fun little Southern style dinner at our house tonight. (I really should have taken a picture, but there are leftovers, so I might get one up tomorrow.)
My husband came home in the middle of the day today for lunch, and looked inside my crock pot with the thought of "what the heck is my wife thinking? This pork looks weird!" and by the time he came home for dinner about 5 hours later he was pleasantly surprised with the end result. So even though this may sound strange in the beginning, hold out and see what it turns into, you won't be disappointed.
Without further ado, here's the recipe, and I hope you like it as much as we did.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
1 1/2 lb pork loin roast (you could use shoulder, but those tend to be huge)
1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 c water
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp cajun seasoning (if your sauce is already a bit spicy I would cut this in half, mine was very mild)
In the morning of the day you want to make this, place fully thawed pork roast in your crock pot along with the BBQ sauce and water. Set your crock pot to the low setting for 7.5-8 hours.
About 6 hours into the cooking, add your brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and cajun seasoning. The pork should fall apart when you poke it with a fork. Use the fork to break "pull" it into smaller pieces and stir everything around so the sauce coats all of the pork shreds. Continue to let it cook (covered) so it absorbs all of the flavor of the sauce, until your timer ends (total cooking time should be roughly 8 hours).
If not fully shredded by the time it's done, make sure the bigger pieces are pulled to smaller pieces. Serve hot on a hamburger bun or a roll of some kind, or just bread. I made some homemade rolls for it and it turned out fabulous.
Some people like to also serve with pickles, mayo, even cheese. Up to you if you do that, we liked it just fine on it's own. I've also heard of some people putting coleslaw on top of the pork in the sandwich. At this point it's kind of whatever you prefer. Enjoy!
My husband came home in the middle of the day today for lunch, and looked inside my crock pot with the thought of "what the heck is my wife thinking? This pork looks weird!" and by the time he came home for dinner about 5 hours later he was pleasantly surprised with the end result. So even though this may sound strange in the beginning, hold out and see what it turns into, you won't be disappointed.
Without further ado, here's the recipe, and I hope you like it as much as we did.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
1 1/2 lb pork loin roast (you could use shoulder, but those tend to be huge)
1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 c water
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp cajun seasoning (if your sauce is already a bit spicy I would cut this in half, mine was very mild)
In the morning of the day you want to make this, place fully thawed pork roast in your crock pot along with the BBQ sauce and water. Set your crock pot to the low setting for 7.5-8 hours.
About 6 hours into the cooking, add your brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and cajun seasoning. The pork should fall apart when you poke it with a fork. Use the fork to break "pull" it into smaller pieces and stir everything around so the sauce coats all of the pork shreds. Continue to let it cook (covered) so it absorbs all of the flavor of the sauce, until your timer ends (total cooking time should be roughly 8 hours).
If not fully shredded by the time it's done, make sure the bigger pieces are pulled to smaller pieces. Serve hot on a hamburger bun or a roll of some kind, or just bread. I made some homemade rolls for it and it turned out fabulous.
Some people like to also serve with pickles, mayo, even cheese. Up to you if you do that, we liked it just fine on it's own. I've also heard of some people putting coleslaw on top of the pork in the sandwich. At this point it's kind of whatever you prefer. Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Ground Turkey Chili
So there is a recipe for chili already here, made with ground beef. It's very simple and quick, and tastes great. But now that I am trying to choose low cholesterol options for me and my family, I decided to change that recipe just a tiny bit to make it with ground turkey instead. There's not a ton of changes made, but enough to bump up the flavor just enough so my husband doesn't miss the beef too much. It's lower in fat, and because it is poultry it's lower in cholesterol, and overall it's a pretty healthy option. It's also mild and pleases everyone, so it's kid friendly and great for the whole family.
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You can serve it with cornbread if you like, but tonight I decided to just make it by itself. I thought about it and realized that the chili really has plenty of carbohydrates in it already without the cornbread, and although I LOVE my cornbread recipe, and chili night doesn't seem to be the same without it, I decided to go without tonight and just eat a normal portion of chili. Maybe some other time I will make cornbread too!
Ground Turkey Chili
1.25 lbs ground turkey (this just seems to be the default size of ground turkey pkgs) you can use ground breast or regular ground turkey, doesn't matter. Turkey breast has less fat, but I used regular tonight.
2 cans rinsed and drained black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans or 4 cups (frozen) corn (frozen is lower in salt) (if canned, undrained, if frozen, add 1 c water)
2 4-oz cans diced green chiles
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp taco seasoning
Brown turkey in a large pot. Add onion powder, garlic powder and about half the chili powder. Once meat is browned, add in your rinsed beans, tomatoes, corn, and chiles. Stir everything to combine, and let simmer. Add coriander and taco seasoning and the rest of the chili powder (this part is sort of to taste).
Simmer about 15-20 minutes until everything is combined well and the flavors come together. You can usually tell it is done by the smell of your kitchen. Serve hot with your favorite toppings. You can do grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, or nothing at all.
Enjoy!
**Note**
You can make your own black beans and use frozen corn and fresh tomatoes or low sodium tomatoes to reduce the salt in this recipe. Canned veggies are convenient but they do add salt that we are often unaware of. The beans have usually less salt after rinsing them, but doing them yourself would still make a difference. Make sure though if you are using frozen corn that you add the extra water I was talking about, to make sure you have enough liquid in the pot to create the desired consistency. By adding spices and onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder, you get flavor without adding a lot of salt. You do need a little salt, but not nearly as much as you'd think.
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You can serve it with cornbread if you like, but tonight I decided to just make it by itself. I thought about it and realized that the chili really has plenty of carbohydrates in it already without the cornbread, and although I LOVE my cornbread recipe, and chili night doesn't seem to be the same without it, I decided to go without tonight and just eat a normal portion of chili. Maybe some other time I will make cornbread too!
Ground Turkey Chili
1.25 lbs ground turkey (this just seems to be the default size of ground turkey pkgs) you can use ground breast or regular ground turkey, doesn't matter. Turkey breast has less fat, but I used regular tonight.
2 cans rinsed and drained black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans or 4 cups (frozen) corn (frozen is lower in salt) (if canned, undrained, if frozen, add 1 c water)
2 4-oz cans diced green chiles
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp taco seasoning
Brown turkey in a large pot. Add onion powder, garlic powder and about half the chili powder. Once meat is browned, add in your rinsed beans, tomatoes, corn, and chiles. Stir everything to combine, and let simmer. Add coriander and taco seasoning and the rest of the chili powder (this part is sort of to taste).
Simmer about 15-20 minutes until everything is combined well and the flavors come together. You can usually tell it is done by the smell of your kitchen. Serve hot with your favorite toppings. You can do grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, or nothing at all.
Enjoy!
**Note**
You can make your own black beans and use frozen corn and fresh tomatoes or low sodium tomatoes to reduce the salt in this recipe. Canned veggies are convenient but they do add salt that we are often unaware of. The beans have usually less salt after rinsing them, but doing them yourself would still make a difference. Make sure though if you are using frozen corn that you add the extra water I was talking about, to make sure you have enough liquid in the pot to create the desired consistency. By adding spices and onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder, you get flavor without adding a lot of salt. You do need a little salt, but not nearly as much as you'd think.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Foil Packet {Oven Steamed} Fish
Hey friends! I'm realizing this is the second fish recipe I am posting within a week, but we are trying to incorporate healthy, low fat, low cholesterol protein into our diet and fish is a great way to do it. This one is so easy and so versatile you will laugh. It takes maybe 20 minutes til it's done, and you can make some rice, potatoes, or quinoa in the meantime....which means less than 30 minutes til dinner! Great, right? I think so!
Rather than giving you a recipe for family style like normal, this is more of an individual serving type thing. So the recipe is for each individual packet. Easily converted from a single serving to 6 servings or more, and it takes just about the same amount of time for 1 or 6 people. You can also put it on the grill and let it steam on there. Just make sure the bbq gets hot enough to get the contents of each packet steaming for long enough. This is also great because it makes it easy for portion control. Everyone gets their own packet and there's no excess to over eat.
Foil Packet Fish
1 filet/steak of fish for each person in your family (I used tilapia again because it's what we have, but salmon is great this way, as would halibut or cod or lots of other kinds. Just use what you like. However, do NOT use tuna steaks. Tuna is best seared.)
3 slices of lemon per person
fresh or frozen vegetable of your choice, about 1/2 c to 1 cup per person (we used green beans, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower...you name it, it would work well for this.)
1/8 c water for each packet
1 tsp olive oil for each packet
salt and pepper
garlic powder
1 sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil for each packet
I recommend using frozen fish all of the time unless you live in a coastal state and you know the fish you got fresh at the store is really fresh. This is because frozen fish is always frozen where it is caught, and always within a few hours of being caught. So it is usually the freshest option out there. Living in Utah, it is always the best choice for my husband and I. I was raised in California, and usually had decent fish available fresh there, but since moving to Utah, I have had to change the way I think about fish.
Okay, now that's out of the way and we can move onto the recipe. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Place your foil on the counter, and place the fish (skin side down if there is skin) on top of the foil. Top with salt and pepper and garlic powder, and then lemon slices. Lastly add your veggies, olive oil, and water. Fold the sides of the foil in first, then pull the top and bottom up and fold it over to make a tight seal, but leaving room for the steam to cook every thing.
Put your packets on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Fish should be tender and flake apart, and veggies should be tender but not mushy. Serve hot with your favorite starch. We had it with quinoa that I dressed with lemon juice, salt and pepper, olive oil and a dash of dill.
Enjoy!
Rather than giving you a recipe for family style like normal, this is more of an individual serving type thing. So the recipe is for each individual packet. Easily converted from a single serving to 6 servings or more, and it takes just about the same amount of time for 1 or 6 people. You can also put it on the grill and let it steam on there. Just make sure the bbq gets hot enough to get the contents of each packet steaming for long enough. This is also great because it makes it easy for portion control. Everyone gets their own packet and there's no excess to over eat.
Foil Packet Fish
1 filet/steak of fish for each person in your family (I used tilapia again because it's what we have, but salmon is great this way, as would halibut or cod or lots of other kinds. Just use what you like. However, do NOT use tuna steaks. Tuna is best seared.)
3 slices of lemon per person
fresh or frozen vegetable of your choice, about 1/2 c to 1 cup per person (we used green beans, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower...you name it, it would work well for this.)
1/8 c water for each packet
1 tsp olive oil for each packet
salt and pepper
garlic powder
1 sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil for each packet
I recommend using frozen fish all of the time unless you live in a coastal state and you know the fish you got fresh at the store is really fresh. This is because frozen fish is always frozen where it is caught, and always within a few hours of being caught. So it is usually the freshest option out there. Living in Utah, it is always the best choice for my husband and I. I was raised in California, and usually had decent fish available fresh there, but since moving to Utah, I have had to change the way I think about fish.
Okay, now that's out of the way and we can move onto the recipe. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Place your foil on the counter, and place the fish (skin side down if there is skin) on top of the foil. Top with salt and pepper and garlic powder, and then lemon slices. Lastly add your veggies, olive oil, and water. Fold the sides of the foil in first, then pull the top and bottom up and fold it over to make a tight seal, but leaving room for the steam to cook every thing.
Put your packets on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Fish should be tender and flake apart, and veggies should be tender but not mushy. Serve hot with your favorite starch. We had it with quinoa that I dressed with lemon juice, salt and pepper, olive oil and a dash of dill.
Enjoy!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Pan Sauteed/Fried Tilapia
You can cook tilapia in so many ways, and this is just one I do often because it doesn't involve a grill and it uses very little oil and it takes about 5 minutes or less, depending on the thickness of the filet. Sorry I didn't get a picture, we gobbled it up before I even thought about the camera. I need to be better about the photo taking.
I use the word fried loosely here because technically since it's in a pan and I am using oil, that is the technique....but it's about 1 tbsp of olive oil that I used, so it's not like it is deep fried or greasy in any way...that's just how you keep it from sticking to the pan.
So simple, I am not really sure why I am posting a recipe for it because it's not really a recipe, just seasoning haha. But, in my mind I am thinking that some of you readers out there are afraid to try fish because you simply don't know how to cook it. Or every time you have tried to cook it, it turned out terrible. Or you know how to cook one kind of fish but not another kind. So here we go, I'm trying to help someone who might be in that boat.
Don't be afraid of fish. It's delicious, and good for you, and if you know how to buy it and how to cook it the right way it can be a fantastic meal for very little work. Tilapia is a great fish to try if you are nervous because it is very mild tasting and doesn't have that "fishy" smell or flavor, and it has a nice light texture.
Pan Sauteed or Fried Tilapia
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tilapia filets
1/2 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a medium skillet. Place fish in hot oil. On exposed top side, sprinkle the garlic powder and salt and pepper. After a minute or two (depending on thickness, longer if it's a thicker filet), flip it over. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite veggies and grain. Yum!
I use the word fried loosely here because technically since it's in a pan and I am using oil, that is the technique....but it's about 1 tbsp of olive oil that I used, so it's not like it is deep fried or greasy in any way...that's just how you keep it from sticking to the pan.
So simple, I am not really sure why I am posting a recipe for it because it's not really a recipe, just seasoning haha. But, in my mind I am thinking that some of you readers out there are afraid to try fish because you simply don't know how to cook it. Or every time you have tried to cook it, it turned out terrible. Or you know how to cook one kind of fish but not another kind. So here we go, I'm trying to help someone who might be in that boat.
Don't be afraid of fish. It's delicious, and good for you, and if you know how to buy it and how to cook it the right way it can be a fantastic meal for very little work. Tilapia is a great fish to try if you are nervous because it is very mild tasting and doesn't have that "fishy" smell or flavor, and it has a nice light texture.
Pan Sauteed or Fried Tilapia
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tilapia filets
1/2 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a medium skillet. Place fish in hot oil. On exposed top side, sprinkle the garlic powder and salt and pepper. After a minute or two (depending on thickness, longer if it's a thicker filet), flip it over. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite veggies and grain. Yum!
Vegetable Cous Cous
I've done something similar to this in the past for stuffed bell peppers, but this time I just made the cous cous and we had it with some tilapia. I also left out the sausage that is in the other recipe(s). Continuing with my healthy eating quest and cutting out fat and excess carbs, and adding more veggies, fruits and whole grains, I decided to have tilapia (a kind of white fish that is not too expensive and has those good omega 3s in it) then was looking for a way to add a healthy carb and some vegetables to the meal. I've been making quinoa fairly often lately so I decided to give my husband a break from it and make cous cous. It's more like pasta and not really a whole grain, but I actually seem to get more full from eating less cous cous than I do eating regular pasta (even if it is whole wheat pasta).
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I had a leek, some heirloom carrots, and some celery in my fridge, most of which came from my Bountiful Basket a couple weeks ago that I needed to use and would be good to help flavor my cous cous. Rather than purchasing a boxed cous cous with seasoning packets and ingredients I couldn't control, I decided at the store it was a better idea to buy the plain kind and then use spices and veggies to flavor it. This way I know how much salt, fat, and calories I was dealing with, and I could control it a lot more. The nice thing about cous cous is that it takes about 5 minutes to cook it. And with the plain kind, I just cook it on its own, with either water or chicken broth, and then fluff it with a fork, and then I add it to my sauteed veggies. I was able to make this whole dish with only 2 tbsp of oil, and it only took me one more to cook the tilapia in my non-stick skillet. Use olive oil and it's really not terrible for you, because olive oil is a heart healthy fat.
Also, I should say here, you can really use whatever veggies you have on hand. This is just what I had in the fridge, and what worked for me tonight. You do need to make sure though that one of those vegetables is an onion, just to get the flavor from it. Cous Cous is like a sponge and just sucks up whatever you cook it with, so choose wisely.
Anyway, onto the recipe..... I hope you all like it as much as the husband and I did.
Vegetable Cous Cous
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, sliced and cleaned
1 regular sweet red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, or about 5 of the sweet baby bells, seeded and sliced.
1 c cous cous
1 c water
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp sea salt
Cook your cous cous by boiling the water with 1 tbsp olive oil, and the salt. When it comes to a boil, add your cous cous, stirring it in as you pour it. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes. When it's done, fluff it with a fork and set aside.
In a medium skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and then the leeks when the pan is hot. Let those reduce and become tender and then add carrots and celery. Cook those until they are tender and the carrots still have texture but do not have their full "raw" crunch. Add cous cous and peppers last, and stir every thing together and continue to cook for 1-3 minutes. You can season with salt and pepper if you like, or add some garlic powder. Then you're done! Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with your favorite protein. You could serve it with chicken or whatever you like. You can also cook the cous cous in chicken broth for a bit more flavor. (if you do this, I recommend low sodium chicken broth so you can control the salt a bit better, and then omit the added salt in the recipe)
Serving size is about 1 cup, and it's roughly 45 carbs per cup, and about 100 calories.
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I had a leek, some heirloom carrots, and some celery in my fridge, most of which came from my Bountiful Basket a couple weeks ago that I needed to use and would be good to help flavor my cous cous. Rather than purchasing a boxed cous cous with seasoning packets and ingredients I couldn't control, I decided at the store it was a better idea to buy the plain kind and then use spices and veggies to flavor it. This way I know how much salt, fat, and calories I was dealing with, and I could control it a lot more. The nice thing about cous cous is that it takes about 5 minutes to cook it. And with the plain kind, I just cook it on its own, with either water or chicken broth, and then fluff it with a fork, and then I add it to my sauteed veggies. I was able to make this whole dish with only 2 tbsp of oil, and it only took me one more to cook the tilapia in my non-stick skillet. Use olive oil and it's really not terrible for you, because olive oil is a heart healthy fat.
Also, I should say here, you can really use whatever veggies you have on hand. This is just what I had in the fridge, and what worked for me tonight. You do need to make sure though that one of those vegetables is an onion, just to get the flavor from it. Cous Cous is like a sponge and just sucks up whatever you cook it with, so choose wisely.
Anyway, onto the recipe..... I hope you all like it as much as the husband and I did.
Vegetable Cous Cous
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, sliced and cleaned
1 regular sweet red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, or about 5 of the sweet baby bells, seeded and sliced.
1 c cous cous
1 c water
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp sea salt
Cook your cous cous by boiling the water with 1 tbsp olive oil, and the salt. When it comes to a boil, add your cous cous, stirring it in as you pour it. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes. When it's done, fluff it with a fork and set aside.
In a medium skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and then the leeks when the pan is hot. Let those reduce and become tender and then add carrots and celery. Cook those until they are tender and the carrots still have texture but do not have their full "raw" crunch. Add cous cous and peppers last, and stir every thing together and continue to cook for 1-3 minutes. You can season with salt and pepper if you like, or add some garlic powder. Then you're done! Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with your favorite protein. You could serve it with chicken or whatever you like. You can also cook the cous cous in chicken broth for a bit more flavor. (if you do this, I recommend low sodium chicken broth so you can control the salt a bit better, and then omit the added salt in the recipe)
Serving size is about 1 cup, and it's roughly 45 carbs per cup, and about 100 calories.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Vegetable Ragout
Okay so this is one I tried the other night because I was looking to make a healthy choice, and use up some veggies in our fridge. I put it on ravioli, so that probably wasn't the most healthy option one could use, but it's a lot better than a white sauce or some such (I used to just toss the ravioli in butter, parmesan, and some garlic powder...definitely not a good choice!) You could easily put it on whole wheat spaghetti, or any other pasta out there. I do recommend you serve it with some kind of protein. Because I was having it with a mixture of beef and cheese raviolis (half a bag of each kind) we had plenty in the dish, but if you were serving it with spaghetti, I would maybe add a chicken breast or something.
Anyway, here goes.
Vegetable Ragout
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, sliced and separated (I'll include some handy tips below)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Japanese eggplants (the long skinny ones) or 1 regular eggplant, peeled and diced
1 jar or can of plain traditional marinara sauce (not the four cheese or the meat flavored, though the mushroom would work well)
salt and pepper
Slice the little rooty end off the leek, and take off the tough green top (you just want the tender white part which will be about 4 inches long). Slice the white part thinly and place the slices in a bowl of cold water. Once all of the slices are in the cold water, then use your fingers to separate the layers. This hopefully will loosen the dirt and grit that gets between the layers of the leek and the dirt should sink to the bottom of the bowl while the leek should float to the top. Skim off the top and dry well with a paper towel or clean dish towel.
Place the eggplant in a microwave safe dish and liberally sprinkle with sea salt. Microwave for 6 minutes, then drain off the excess liquid and set aside. (this helps get rid of excess water from the eggplant so the sauce doesn't end up really wet.)
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add leeks and saute for awhile til they reduce in size and become tender. Add carrots and continue to stir, keep going til the carrots become tender but do not lose their texture or become mushy. Add the eggplant and stir and cook for a bit, and then add your marinara. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if you like, feel free to add some granulated garlic or oregano.
Serve over your favorite pasta, or on chicken or whatever you like. Enjoy!
**A serving of this recipe by itself without pasta or chicken, etc., is roughly 70 calories, depending on the marinara sauce you use. Much less than if you used a meat sauce made from ground beef or even ground turkey.**
Anyway, here goes.
Vegetable Ragout
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, sliced and separated (I'll include some handy tips below)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Japanese eggplants (the long skinny ones) or 1 regular eggplant, peeled and diced
1 jar or can of plain traditional marinara sauce (not the four cheese or the meat flavored, though the mushroom would work well)
salt and pepper
Slice the little rooty end off the leek, and take off the tough green top (you just want the tender white part which will be about 4 inches long). Slice the white part thinly and place the slices in a bowl of cold water. Once all of the slices are in the cold water, then use your fingers to separate the layers. This hopefully will loosen the dirt and grit that gets between the layers of the leek and the dirt should sink to the bottom of the bowl while the leek should float to the top. Skim off the top and dry well with a paper towel or clean dish towel.
Place the eggplant in a microwave safe dish and liberally sprinkle with sea salt. Microwave for 6 minutes, then drain off the excess liquid and set aside. (this helps get rid of excess water from the eggplant so the sauce doesn't end up really wet.)
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add leeks and saute for awhile til they reduce in size and become tender. Add carrots and continue to stir, keep going til the carrots become tender but do not lose their texture or become mushy. Add the eggplant and stir and cook for a bit, and then add your marinara. Add salt and pepper to taste, and if you like, feel free to add some granulated garlic or oregano.
Serve over your favorite pasta, or on chicken or whatever you like. Enjoy!
**A serving of this recipe by itself without pasta or chicken, etc., is roughly 70 calories, depending on the marinara sauce you use. Much less than if you used a meat sauce made from ground beef or even ground turkey.**
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