Cooking with Corey

April 25, 2013

Chicken and Broccoli with Dijon Sauce

Tweet

Here is a new recipe I wanted to try to mix up our chicken and broccoli dishes. This recipe for Chicken and Broccoli Dijon was from Kraft Foods and was really good. It keeps with our goal of eating well this year. We served this over noodles, but you can also serve it over rice. This was really great and a nice change from Asian themed stir-fries.

Ingredients (Serves 4):
3/4 cup Chicken broth
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided
4 cups Broccoli florets
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
1 1/2 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips (around 3)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions:
1. Mix chicken broth and soy sauce in a container, set aside.
2. Sprinkle the 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp pepper over the chicken.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook for around 4 minutes (stirring often). Remove broccoli to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Add the other tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Cook for around 5-6 minutes.
5. Add broth mixture to the pan and mix thoroughly as it comes to a boil. Then lower heat to medium-low and add mustard. Mix well and return the broccoli mixture to the pan. Cook for around one minute and serve over rice or noodles.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2013

Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce

Tweet

Here is a new recipe I wanted to try today - based on the Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce recipe from Cooking Light. This came out fantastic and will definitely be on a repeat list at our house. We served this with asparagus and couscous - for a perfect dinner.

Ingredients (Serves 4):
1/4 tsp (plus a dash) Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp (plus a dash) Black pepper (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Oregano (dried)
4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned Chicken breasts, cut into two haves lengthwise (no more than 1/2" thick)
1 tbsp & 1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 cup Chicken broth
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Capers, rinsed
1 tbsp Parsley (fresh), chopped

Directions:
1. Sprinkle the 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and dried oregano over the chicken.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 3. Add chicken and cook 6-7 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from skillet and keep warm (under foil)
4. Return the pan to the burner and add chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, and a pinch of kosher salt & black pepper to skillet, scraping skillet to loosen browned bits. Cook for around 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in parsley and then spoon sauce over chicken.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)

April 07, 2013

Vietnamese Chicken Wrap

Tweet

I have been carrying around this recipe for Vietnamese Chicken Sandwiches a long time - and I am very happy that I gave this a whirl. The first time I had a Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich was not in a nice Asian restaurant, but Good Time Charley's in Ann Arbor. I wanted to make it as a wrap and less spicy (for everyone's taste). I loved the way this turned out and will make it again. The work is more prep than anything else, and if you have mandolin slicer - it will be really great.

Ingredients (Makes 4 wraps):
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 cup Matchstick-cut carrots (smaller the better)
2 tsp Peanut or canola oil
1 lbs Chicken breasts (2 or 3), cut into 1/4" diagonal slices
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Garlic, chopped (or one clove)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber (1/8" thick)
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Lettuce
1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

Directions:
1. Combine sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan; cook until sugar dissolves. Add carrot and remove from heat. Let cool.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Sauté 3-4 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Combine remaining garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and hoisin sauce in a bowl; add the cooked chicken and toss.
4. Prepare wraps. Place lettuce and cucumber on the base of the wrap. Add chicken and drizzle with leftover sauce and a small amount of the vinegar-sugar mix. Add carrots (use a slotted spoon), cilantro and hot sauce (such as Sriracha) if desired. Wrap up the contents and cut in half.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)

March 17, 2013

Chicken with Asparagus

Tweet

OK - I was going to give this an awful name - I won't share it - it is that bad. This is based on a recipe I found in Cooking Light for Chicken Yakitori Rice Bowl. I love Chicken Yakitori and was happy that there was a good healthy option for making it. I was playing a bit with the recipe and think this is a winner. I added some items that we like a lot and it was a hit tonight for dinner. I am going to try to make a more traditional Chicken Yakitori down the road - but for now - this is a great addition to my stir-fry options.

Ingredients (serves 4)
1/3 cup Soy sauce
1/3 cup Cooking sherry
3 tbsp Brown sugar
2 tbsp Rice vinegar
1/4 cup Chicken broth
4 tsp peanut oil, divided
3 Chicken breasts, skinless and cut in half (to make two thin pieces)
1 bunch Asparagus tips (around 4 inches long)
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz Mung bean sprouts
8 oz Mushrooms caps, sliced

Directions
1. Combine first five ingredients (soy sauce, cooking sherry, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chicken broth) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook 4 more. Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly & cut into (1/4") strips.
3. Add remaining peanut oil (2 tsp) to the wok and add the asparagus, stir-fry 2 minutes; add green onions and bean sprouts, stir-fry 1 minutes; and add mushrooms, stir-fry 2 minutes.
4. Add chicken and sauce to the wok and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Enjoy with rice!

Posted by cseeman at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)

March 15, 2013

Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Tweet

I have wanted to make this recipe for some time and finally did tonight! I loved the way that it came out and I made some changes to the original recipe to make it a bit healthier. The inspiration was from the Rachel Ray recipe for Spanish Stewed Chicken Thighs. Rachel Ray suggested that it is best served with bread (twist my arm) for mopping up the liquid during the meal. This was a completely great touch and it made for a great dinner. Everyone loved it - which is the best news of the evening. We will definitely make this again!

Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive oil
4 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cut in half or thirds (depending on the size)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound Turkey Italian sausage, casings removed and broken up
1 Red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Cooking sherry or white wine
1 (14.5 oz.) can Diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp Parsley, dried
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives

Directions
1. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned, about 5 minutes as side. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon or thongs (leaving the liquid in the pan).
2. Add turkey sausage to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are just softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the sherry and mix thoroughly - stirring up any browned bits in the pan.
3. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, dried parsley as well as the cooked chicken to the pan. Lower the heat to low, cover and simmer for around 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the olives.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

March 14, 2013

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Tweet

One of the dishes I really love when I eat Mexican Food are tamales. I know they are not really good for you - but man they taste great. So I was really excited when I saw this recipe for Chicken Tamale Casserole from my favorite magazine - Cooking Light. I made this the first time and just loved it. I tweaked it a bit to match my favorites and my tastes. I am going to make this again and this it would be great for any event where I have a dish to share.

Ingredients (serves 6)
1 cup Shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup Fat-free milk
1 Large egg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of Coriander
1 (14 3/4 oz.) can Cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz.) box Corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy or Martha White)
1 (4 oz.) can Chopped green chiles, drained (choose mild or hot to taste)
Cooking spray
1 (10 oz.) can Red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups Cooked chicken breast, shredded or thin sliced
1/2 cup Green bell pepper, diced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cream-style corn, corn muffin mix, and the green chilies in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and green peppers and then sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 400° for 16-18 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
5. Cut into 6 or 8 pieces and enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2013

Mustard Chicken with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Tweet

So here is the dilemma....I had chicken, I had broccoli and I wanted to make dinner. But I did not want to make another stir-fry (though they are quite good). So I could not find a recipe I really wanted to try - and low and behold, I decided to try one out from scratch. Well, maybe it was not completely from scratch - but a little bit here and there. And as is often the case - with Old Time Radio in the background, I started marking up a recipe. I was going to use honey - but I could not find it. So I added the maple syrup instead - and I really liked the little bit of sweetness it gave. Best of all, though I do not have the nutritional values - this appears to be pretty healthy. We only use 5 tsp of olive oil - so I have to feel pretty good about it. It had a really nice taste and it was different than a lot of things I make. So it is a great addition to the repertory. Enjoy this healthy dish with rice or potatoes.

Ingredients (served 3-4)

5 tsp Olive oil, divided
1/3 cup Dijon mustard (you can go up to 1/2 cup if you want)
1 tsp Tarragon, dried
1 tbsp Maple syrup (or honey)
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Kosher salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
2-3 cups Broccoli florets
8 oz Mushroom (stems removed)
2 tsp (or cloves) Garlic, chopped
Cooking spray or olive oil spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tsp olive oil, Dijon mustard, tarragon and maple syrup with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Cut chicken breasts in half and season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes and then flip and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
5. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray or olive oil. Place chicken in the center of the pan and spoon mustard sauce on top. Cook for 7 minutes.
6. While the chicken is cooking for the first 7 minutes in the oven, add broccoli, mushroom caps, garlic, the remaining olive oil, kosher salt and pepper (to taste). Mix gently. At the end of the 7 minutes, add the broccoli mix to the pan along the sides and put back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:36 PM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2013

Thai Sober Noodles

Tweet

Drunken Noddles have been a very favorite dish of mine and one that I have wanted to make. I probably did not push trying this before my son became enamored with this dish. Since I was making it for the whole family, I wanted to tweak the recipe to create a lower-heat version that we all could enjoy. I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart site that looked great. I supplemented it with some Thai cookbooks and worked on making it less spicy to match the tastes of family. I really liked the way it came out. I might play with it a bit - but for now - this is a really nice recipe for people who do not want something so spicy.

Ingredients
16oz Rice Noodles (large size - though it is not that critical)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Peanut oil (add more as needed)
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 2 cloves)
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
2 Chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Soy sauce (low-sodium)
1/4 cup Fish sauce
2 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 Red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4oz Bean sprouts
1 bunch Basil, cut into strips (around a 1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add rice noodles and submerge in the boiling water. Remove from heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. After 5 minutes, drain.
2. Add 1 tbsp peanut oil (or canola oil) to a non-stick wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add green bell pepper and garlic and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
5. Add soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce and cook for 4 minutes.
6. Add red peppers and cook for 3 minutes.
7. Add drained rice noodles and bean sprouts and cook for 2 more minutes.
8. Remove from heat and add the shredded basil to the pan. Mix thoroughly and serve.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)

February 05, 2013

Chicken Broccoli With Rice

Tweet

In honor of the start of ActiveU, I adapted this recipe from the M Healthy web site for Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry. I loved the way this came out - so that is good. I played with the recipe so it is not quite as good as it showed on the link - but still pretty good. It is not exactly fried rice, but it is mixed in at the end - giving it a nice taste.

Ingredients (Makes around 4 servings)
2 cups Brown rice, cooked
1 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp Peanut or canola oil
1 small Onion, chopped
2 cups Broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 can (8 oz.) Water chestnuts, sliced
1 Pepper, cut in strips
8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp Soy sauce
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce

Directions
1. Cook brown rice according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok with medium-high heat. Stir fry chicken strips and onion for 3 minutes, constantly stirring.
3. Add broccoli and continue to stir fry for 5-8 minutes.
4. Add water chestnuts, pepper, and sliced mushrooms and stir-fry around 2 minutes.
5. Add soy sauce and hoisin sauce and stir-fry for around 1-2 minutes.
6. Add cooked rice and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:32 PM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2013

Steak Tips with Mushroom Gravy

Tweet

This was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe for Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy. One day, I will write about a horrible attempt at Steak Fajitas when I was dating my wife 25 years ago. Needless to say, it is the bar by which all bad meals are measured by. This was nothing at all like that - and came out fantastic. I did receive some nice knives for Christmas and it make cutting the steak much easier. It is a lot about the tools! Anyway, this is a fantastic dish that will definitely grace our table again.

Ingredients (Makes around 4 servings - perfectly served over noodles, rice or with mashed potatoes).

Cooking spray
1 pound top sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Shallots or onions, finely chopped
1 (8-ounce) package Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 ounce White mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp Garlic, chopped (one one clove)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
3 tbsp Flour (all-purpose)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Thyme (dried)
1 1/2 cups Beef broth

Directions (you are on your own for noodles, rice or potatoes)

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and add steak. Sauté for around 5 minutes until it is browned on all sides. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Heat olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots (or onions) and mushrooms - then sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic and soy sauce and sauté for around 30 seconds (until mixed).
3. Sprinkle flour, pepper, kosher salt and thyme over mushroom mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Then gradually add the beef broth, stirring constantly. Bring the mushroom mix to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Return beef to pan and cook 1 minute longer.

Serve over noodles, rice or potatoes.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 01:10 PM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2013

Roasted Cod with Warm Tapenade

Tweet

This great fish recipe was adapted from Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato-Olive-Caper Tapenade from the EatingWell site. Loved the way that this came out and it was very easy to prepare. Served it with rice and a vegetable.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
1 pound Cod fillet (4 pieces)
1 tbsp Olive oil (plus some olive oil spray)
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 small Onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
12 Kalamata olives, chopped
1 tbsp Roasted red peppers, chopped
1 tbsp Capers, rinsed
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with sprayed olive oil or cooking spray. Placed the cod on the baking sheet and lightly spray olive oil on the fillets. Sprinkle with pepper. Place the sheet in the oven and cook for around 17 minutes.
2. When the fish is around 6 minutes from being done, prepare the tapenade. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute for around 1 minute. Add tomatoes and saute for around 2 minutes. Add olives, roasted red peppers, capers and dried oregano and saute for around 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and remove from the heat.
3. Spoon the tapenade over the cod to serve.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2013

Chicken Piccata

Tweet

This dish is a great addition to our repertoire as this came out fantastic. I have been carrying around the printout for this recipe for months and it was always on my short list. This recipe was adpated from Chicken Piccata I from the Prevention website. This is a great place to get healthy recipes and I have been going there more and more for dining ideas. In regards to the whole notion of it being Chicken Piccata I...it makes me think there is a sequel somewhere out there..."this time, it's personal!" Again, this is a great dish!

Ingredients (4 servings)
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
4 chicken breasts (around 1 1/2 lbs), thinly sliced (around 3/8" thick)
3-4 tbsp Olive oil
1/4 cup Capers, rinsed and drained
1 Onions, finely chopped
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or two cloves)
1/2 cup Dry white wine
1/2 cup Chicken broth
1/4 cup Lemon juice

Directions
1. Combine flour, kosher salt and black pepper in a 1 quart zip-top bag. Pat chicken dry. Working in batches, add chicken to bag, shake to coat, and set on plate in single layer.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook for around 3 minutes on each site. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover tightly with foil. Cook the other half of the chicken the same way and place the finished chicken under the foil as well. Add extra oil as needed during the second batch of chicken.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tbsp of olive oil to skillet. Add the capers, onions and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 minutes (stirring often). Add wine, broth, and lemon juice to the pan and simmer for around 4 minutes.
4. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2012

Apple Pork Chops

Tweet

Adapted from the Recipe Inspirations Apple & Sage Pork Chops recipe from the McCormick site. I really liked it and will definitely try it again.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Flour
2 tsp Sage, dried
1 tsp Rosemary, dried
1 tsp Thyme Leaves, dried
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Allspice, Ground
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
6 boneless pork chops, around 3/4 inch thick (or boneless pork sirloin chops - cut in half)
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or two cloved)
1 red apple, thinly sliced (I used a large honeycrisp)
1/2 cup Apple juice or cider
1 tbsp & 1 tsp Brown sugar

Directions
1. Mix flour, sage, rosemary, thyme, paprika, allspice, kosher salt and black pepper in small bowl. Reserve 1 tbsp of the flour mixture and use the remaining to sprinkle on both sides of the pork chops.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops and brown on both sides (around 3-4 minutes on first side and 2-3 minutes on the other). Remove pork from skillet.
3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic, then cook for around 3 minutes. Add apples and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
4. To the pan, stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet & bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for an additional 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy with potatoes and a green vegetable.

Posted by cseeman at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2012

Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry

Tweet

Adapted from a recipe of the same name found here. Had this dish in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and I wanted to take a shot at making it at home.

Ingredients (serves 4)
5 tbsp Soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 lbs. Chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp Peanut oil
2 tsp Garlic, chopped
2 Scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces
1 Red Pepper, julienned
1/2 tsp Sesame oil

Directions
1. Stir together 4 tbsp soy sauce, lemon juice, cooking sherry, and cornstarch. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Add garlic and saute for around 1 minutes. Reserving the marinade, add chicken and saute for around 2 minutes. Add red peppers and saute for an additional minute. Add the asparagus and scallions and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Add remaining marinade, remaining 1 tbsp of soy sauce and the sesame oil and saute for around 2 minutes.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.

Posted by cseeman at 08:28 PM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2012

Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Tweet

Adapted from the Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes recipe from the Eating Well site.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Mustard (Dijon or whole grain)
1/4 tsp Dried marjoram
1/4 tsp Dried thyme
1/2 tsp Dried savory
1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
3/4 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp Black pepper, divided
2 tbsp Olive oil
3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Red onions (small or medium), cut into 1-inch wedges
4 Chicken breasts (skinless),

Directions
1. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450°F.
2. In a bowl, combine mustard, marjoram, thyme, savory, 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Toss sweet potatoes and onion in a bowl with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Spread the vegetables in a roasting pan.
4. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables, and then spread the mustard mix evenly over all pieces.
5. Place in the oven for around 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:51 AM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2012

Lemon Chicken with Green Beans

Tweet

This recipe was adapted from Chicken with Lemon and Garlic recipe (p. 184) from Pepita Aris' Spanish : over 150 mouthwatering step-by-step recipes. I loved the way this came out.

Ingredients
3 Chicken breasts, skinless, cut into thin strips (1/4")
3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
1 Shallot, finely chopped
6 tsp Garlic (or 6 cloves), chopped
1 tsp Paprika
1 lbs Green beans
8 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced (white or mini-bellas)
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 cup Parsley (fresh), chopped
1/4 cup Chicken broth
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (more or less to taste)

Directions
1. Heat 2 tbsp of Olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken, garlic and paprika to the pan and cook for around 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken to a bowl and keep warm (under foil).
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and cook green beans for around 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and parsley, then cook for 3-4 more minutes.
3. Add broth, lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
4. When it boils, lower to simmer, add chicken and mix thoroughly for around 1 minute.

Remove from heat and enjoy!

Directions

Posted by cseeman at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)

September 08, 2012

Green Chicken

Tweet

Adapted from Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry from Martha Stewart's website. I loved they way that this turned out. We served over brown rice and it was fantastic. This serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (1/4")
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or more/less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more/less to taste)
2 tbsp Peanut oil (add more if needed), divided
1 Onion (medium), sliced into strips
2 Green peppers, cut into strips (use different colors if possible)
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 2-3" pieces
4 tsp (or four cloves) Minced garlic
1/4 cup Chicken broth
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Rice vinegar
1 bunch Basil, shredded (around 1 cup)

Directions
1. Pat dry chicken and place it in a bowl. Toss with cornstarch, kosher salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoons oil over medium high heat and cook chicken for around 3-4 minutes. Transfer chicken and any liquid to a bowl and keep warm.
3. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan. Add onions and peppers, cook for around 2 minutes. Add asparagus, cook for around 3 minutes. Add garlic, cook for around 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken, broth, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to the pan and cook for around 1 more minute.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Mix thoroughly and serve over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 01:27 PM | Comments (0)

Peony Chicken

Tweet

Adapted from my Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe. I called it Peony Chicken because I used all different colors of veggies in the stir fry. I loved it and it passed the reheat for lunch test with flying colors! I also named it after the Peony Gardens at the University of Michigan that I love to visit each May and June. We served over brown rice and it was fantastic. This serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Chicken broth
7 tbsp Soy sauce
4 tbsp Dry sherry or cooking sherry
2 tsp Corn starch
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (or more/less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more/less to taste)
2 tbsp Peanut oil (add more if needed)
1 tbsp Minced ginger
4 tsp (or four cloves) Minced garlic
1 Onion (medium), sliced into strips
3 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (1/4")
3 cups Broccoli florets
3 Bell peppers, cut into strips (use different colors if possible)
1 can (8 oz.) Water chestnuts, sliced
8 oz. Mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half.

Directions
1. Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch until it is well blended. Set aside
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add ginger, garlic and onion; stir about 30 seconds. Add chicken to skillet and stir-fry until white, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add broccoli, bell pepper and water chestnuts and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms stir-fry an additional minute.
4. Add broth/soy sauce mixture and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

September 03, 2012

Special Fried Rice

Tweet

Adapted from a number of recipes that I found, including one for Tofu Fried Rice from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked brown rice (instant is OK)
2 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
1 (14 oz package) Extra-firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (use less if desired)
1/2 lbs Shrimp (medium sized), cleaned and deveined
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 bunch Green onion, in small slices
4 oz Bean sprouts
1/2 cup Peas (frozen), thawed
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced with stems removed.
1 tsp Minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce

Directions:
1. Combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook 4-6 minutes (or until lightly browned), stirring occasionally then remove from pan.
3. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil to pan a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and garlic and cook 4 minutes (or until shrimp turns pink), stirring occasionally then remove from pan and put with tofu.
4. Add eggs to pan; cook around 1 minute or until done, breaking eggs into small pieces. Then remove from pan and add to tofu and shrimp.
5. Add 2 tsp peanut oil to pan and add green onions, bean sprouts, peas, mushrooms, and ginger; saute 2 minutes.
6. Add cooked rice to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Add tofu, egg and soy sauce mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2012

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

Tweet

Adapted from a Ivy Manning recipe from Cooking Light (JANUARY 2010). I really liked this and the chicken was very moist. An excellent meal all around - served with rice and a side of broccoli.

Ingredients
1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1 tsp Dried rosemary, divided
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds, crushed
3/4 tsp Black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
5 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half.
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided & Cooking spray
1 Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup Chicken broth
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp rosemary, fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray or mist with olive oil. Sprinkle spice rub over chicken.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes or until browned. When it is cooking, lightly spray olive oil on the chicken and add spice mix to the top. After the three minutes are up, turn the chicken and cook for one more minute. Repeat for the remaining chicken (adding oil to the pan if needed) and place the cooked chicken in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for around 12-14 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet. Add bell peppers, shallots, and 1/4 tsp rosemary to the pan and sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Simmer for around 5 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in balsamic vinegar, remaining 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Serve the bell pepper mixture over chicken & enjoy with rice and some green vegetables.

Posted by cseeman at 06:16 AM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2012

Corey's Chili

Tweet

After visiting Cincinnati, I was very interested to try a healthy version of their famous Cincinnati Chili. This is adapted from a few different recipes, including Eating Well's Cincinnati Chili, Cooking Light's Cincinnati Turkey Chili, and a postcard I bought with the recipe (hey - I just love the postcards)!

This came out great and it really is not that bad because we use ground turkey. This makes around 4-6 servings - the picture shows a double batch. I guess the best thing about Chili is that you can come up with a lot of variants. So that will be fun. You can serve it over pasta with cheese - but that is just not my favorite way to eat it.

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 package Ground Turkey (93% lean) - around 19-20 oz.
1 White onion (medium), diced
2 tsp Garlic (or cloves), minced
2 tbsp Chili powder (NOTE: I used one 'regular' and one 'hot' - adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 28oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can Kidney Beans (use dark red - though any will do)
1 cup Chicken broth.

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, turkey, and all the spices (through Cinnamon). Cook for around 7 minutes until well browned, mixing thoroughly.
3. Add tomatoes, kidney beans and broth and raise heat to high. When it boils, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for around 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 03:26 PM | Comments (0)

August 15, 2012

Chicken, Potato, and Leek Pie

Tweet

Recipe adapted from Julianna Grimes's great recipe from Cooking Light (August 2012). I need to make this again but I will do it in a bigger dish. Also, I think I will try to adapt this with chicken breast.

Ingredients
2 slices Center cut smoked bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups cubed red potato (around 7 small red skins)
2 cups chopped carrots
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp Flour
2 cups leeks (about 1), sliced thin
1 White onion, sliced thin
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups Mashed Potatoes (enough to cover the baking dish with a thin layer - boxed will work fine)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until almost crisp, stirring frequently.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add potato and carrot to pan. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken and sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in flour, leeks, onion, kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
6. Slowly add broth to pan, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Cook 3-4 minutes (it will become thicker). Then spoon the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart (or larger) glass or ceramic baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the mixture.
7. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until potatoes are browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)

July 04, 2012

Moo Shu Chicken

Tweet

This was adapted from a number of recipes that I have found here and there. OK - I lost my notes. But I did find the ingredients - so I thought I would get it listed. I loved this and will definitely make it again!

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
2 Chicken breasts, thinly sliced
3 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
2 Eggs
2 1/2 cups Napa Cabbage, thinly sliced
8 oz Mushrooms (white), thinly sliced)
3 Scallions, cut into 2" lengths.
1 Carrot, shredded
4 oz Bean sprouts

Chicken marinade
3 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tsp Hoisn sauce
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice

Moo Shu sauce
2 tbsp Chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Cooking sherry
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Directions
1. Mix marinade ingredients and add chicken. Let sit for around 20-30 minutes. Mix the Moo Shu sauce in a separate bowl and set aside.
2. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil over medium-high heat. Mix the eggs and add to pan - cook until done (around 2 minutes). Cut into small strips and set aside.
3. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil. Drain the marinade from the chicken and then add the chicken to the pan. Cook around 4 minutes until done. Transfer to the plate with the eggs and cover with foil.
4. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil. Add mushrooms and carrots, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add bean sprouts, cabbage, and scallions and then cook for an additional minute. Add Moo Shu sauce ingredients and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken and eggs, remove from heat and mix thoroughly.

Can be served in a flour tortilla with a bit of hoisin sauce or on its own. Great with rice.

Posted by cseeman at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2012

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze

Tweet

This was adapted from Salmon with Hoisin Glaze from Cooking Light (just about my favorite cooking magazine these days). This came out fantastic - we will definitely have it on a relatively short rotation.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Dark sesame oil
1 tsp Cooking sherry
2 tsp Garlic, chopped finely
4 (6 oz) Salmon fillets, skin removed
Cooking spray
2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 Green onion, finely chopped (optional for topping)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a shallow dish, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking sherry and garlic in a bowl. Add fish to dish, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 8-15 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place fish on the sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 400° for 12-13 minutes. Garnish with green onions when done.

Enjoy with rice!

Posted by cseeman at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)

June 24, 2012

Chicken and Green Beans

Tweet

This was adapted from Chinese Grandma's easy chicken and green bean stir fry. It seems to be a great addition to our healthy menu and it turned out to be a fantastic dinner with brown rice!

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
4 Chicken breasts, skinless and cut into thin strips
1 lbs Green Beans, cut in half if longer than 3" (you can increase if desired)
4 tsp Chopped Garlic (or 5 cloves), divided
8 tbsp Soy Sauce, divided
5 tbsp Cooking sherry, divided
2 tbsp Brown sugar
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp Peanut oil

Directions
1. Create marinade for the chicken with 4 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp cooking sherry and 2 tsp chopped garlic. Add chicken to the marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. These include 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp cooking sherry, and 2 tsp chopped garlic. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then remove from the pan and place into a serving bowl.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok. Drain the marinade from the chicken and add to the wok. Cook for around 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add the sauce mixture to the chicken and cook for around 30 seconds. Then add the cooked green beans and mix thoroughly for around 1 minute.

Enjoy with rice!

Posted by cseeman at 07:42 PM | Comments (0)

Spiced Chicken with Rice & Broccoli

Tweet

Another adaptation from a recipe in Prevention's quick and healthy low-fat cooking : featuring cuisines from the Mediterranean (1993) by Jean Rogers. The original recipe is on page 161. This was simply fantastic!

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut in half diagonally (so no piece is too thick)
1 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Cumin
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Crowns of broccoli (cut all but short stems)
1 3/4 cups Quick-cooking brown rice (I used Minute Rice)
1 tbsp dried Parsley
2 cups Chicken broth
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Capers (rinsed)

Directions

1. Season chicken with paprika, cumin, kosher salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the chicken until lightly brown (around 3 minutes per side). Add broccoli and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add rice, parsley, broth, lemon juice and capers to the pan. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for around 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave covered for an additional 5-7
minutes.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)

June 17, 2012

Chicken and Mushrooms with Cherry Sauce

Tweet

Adapted from this Cooking Light recipe for Chicken in Cherry Marsala Sauce. We had cooking sherry and the Mrs. does not like Marsala. I have not done a great deal with sweet sauces for chicken. I loved it and think it is a great way to use dried Michigan cherries. This is a definite winner.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Dried cherries
1/2 cup Cooking sherry
4 tsp Olive oil
4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (around 1 1/2 lbs total)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/3 cup Shallots, finely chopped (one larger shallot)
3 Sprigs fresh thyme
8 oz Mushrooms (white or baby portobellos) Thinly sliced.
2/3 cup Chicken broth

Directions
1. Combine cherries and cooking sherry in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high for 45 seconds, and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook around 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cover with foil and keep warm.
3. Add remaining olive oil to pan and then add shallots and thyme. Saute for around 1 minute. Then add the broth, cherry mixture, mushrooms, the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper
4. Bring mixture to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. Leave the mixture at a boil for around a minute. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thick. Pour over the chicken and serve.

Matches very well with a green vegetable and brown rice.

Posted by cseeman at 05:14 PM | Comments (0)

June 13, 2012

Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Tweet

Adapted from this Busch's Recipe - a local grocery story in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This came out so juicy and delicious. It will definitely be on on rotation for dinners from here on out.

Ingredients
2 Pork tenderloins, about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. each, trimmed
1/2 cup Orange marmalade
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Dried thyme leaves
1 tsp Ground thyme
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
2 tsp Ground cinnamon
3 tsp Garlic, minced
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Ground pepper
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix orange marmalade, cumin, thyme (leaves and ground), rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, kosher salt and pepper.
3. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with cooking spray & place the pork on the pan. Spread marmalade mixture on the tenderloins. Roast 23-26 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155-160 degrees (slightly pink). Cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Posted by cseeman at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2012

Shrimp with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Tweet

Adapted from the Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce recipe from Cooking Light (Laraine Perri, JUNE 2012). OK - I have really tried the lettuce thing twice - but I think we are going to make this again - but just cut to the chase and serve over rice. I LOVED having the mix of the stir-fry with the fresh vegetables.

Ingredients
Sauce:
1 tsp Peanut oil
1 Medium shallot, minced (around 1 1/2 tbsp)
1/3 cup Water
2 tbsp Creamy peanut butter (low fat or low sugar is fine)
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Lime juice

Stir-fry:
1 tbsp Peanut oil
1 lbs Shrimp (raw and deveined - around 31/40 count)
1 tbsp Garlic, minced (or 2 cloves)
4 Green onions, cut into 1 inch slices, divided
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped, divided
3 tbsp Soy sauce (low sodium is fine)
1 tsp Ginger, grated
1 tsp Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 cup Carrots, cut into thin strips (matchstick-cut)
4 oz Bean sprouts (around 1 cup)
2 splashes Sesame oil

Directions:

1. To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add peanut oil, then shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add 1/3 cup water, peanut butter, and hoisin sauce and stir continually as you bring to a boil. Cook for one minute after it boils.
3. Remove from heat and add lime juice and let cool. It is served at room temperature.

Stir-fry:
1. Heat peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half the green onions and sauté 1 minute.
2. Add shrimp and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring continually. The shrimp should be pink.
3. Add half the cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, and brown sugar, cooking an additional 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and mix in a bowl with bean sprouts, carrots and the remaining cilantro.

Serve with rice with the sauce on top of the stir-fry. You can also make lettuce wraps if you are so inclined.

Posted by cseeman at 08:04 AM | Comments (0)

May 25, 2012

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms

Tweet

NOTE: This recipe was reworked from an old recipe that I had, that in turn was adapted from a great one from "Quick After-Work Italian Cooking" by Hilaire Walden; Fisher Books, 1995.

Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
3 tsp Chopped garlic (or 3 cloves)
3-4 skinless chicken breasts, flattened and cut in half
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Juice and zest from one lemon
12 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half
1/2 cup Chicken broth
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Dried Parsley

Directions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
2. Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until lightly browned, around 3 minutes per side.
3. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, mushrooms, chicken stock, cornstarch and parsley. Mix gently.
4. Cover and cook for 10-13 more minutes (turning chicken from time to time).
5. Serve with juices with rice.

Posted by cseeman at 07:01 PM | Comments (0)

May 04, 2012

Pasta with Turkey Meat Sauce

Tweet

My first stab at a meat sauce. This uses turkey and should be pretty healthy - so it is really a total win. Had a great taste and is a definite winner on our end. It was inspired by a recipe from Real Simple and my Mediterranean Pasta.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 12-14 oz pound box of penne (whole grain or equivalent).
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
1 Red pepper, finely chopped
3 tsp Garlic, finely chopped (or 3 cloves)
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
8-10 oz Ground turkey (93% lean) - about half a package
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 28-ounce can Crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried basil

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, parsley, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the turkey, kosher salt, and pepper and cook for around 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and basil - then simmer until the sauce thickens, around 8 minutes.

Serve sauce over pasta, adding Parmesan cheese if you like.

Posted by cseeman at 07:39 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2012

Rainbow Chicken with Shrimp

Tweet

Loved the way this came out - though it was not exactly the direction I was heading. Tastes good without being any specific ethnic cuisine. Very good and it will be a regular. Not a lot here that is bad for you - so that is good!

Ingredients (Makes 4-5 servings):
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 Chicken Breast halves, cut into 1/4" strips
3/4 lbs Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 tsp Cornstarch (divided)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 Medium red onion, cut into 1/2" squares
2 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Lime juice
3 Bell peppers (different colors - using green, red and orange), cut into 1/2" squares
1/2 tsp Chili powder (regular or hot - to taste)
1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
1/4 tsp Coriander, ground
8 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half (if larger)
1/4 cup, Chicken broth

Directions
1. Sprink kosher salt and black pepper on cut chicken. In a seperate bowl, sprinkle the cornstartch on the shrip and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. The add chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
3, Add the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander and the peppers and cook for 4 more minutes. Add more oil if needed.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth with the other 1/2 tsp of cornstarch, then raise to a boil. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add the raw shrimp and cook until done (pink). When the shrimp are finished, the dish is ready to serve.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.

Posted by cseeman at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2012

Chicken Lo Mein

Tweet

This was adapted from Helene Siegel's Chinese Cooking for Beginners (1992) and some other recipes that I found including Edamame Lo Mein from Eating Well. This just came out fantastic. It seems to be a good addition to our healthy menu and really great!

Ingredients (serves 3-4)
7-8oz. Thin Spaghetti (whole grain is ideal), cooked as directed.
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 Chicken breast, cut into thin strips (around 1/4" or thinner)
4 tbsp Peanut oil
2 Carrots, cut into thin strips
1 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
4 oz Bean Sprouts (mung beans - fresh work best)
2 Scallions, trimmed and sliced

Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp Light soy sauce
2 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tbsp Light brown sugar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to the directions and then drain with cold water. Then toss with 1 tbsp of the peanut oil and set aside.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl (soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, brown sugar, sesame oil and five spice powder) and set that aside.
3. Heat a saute pan and add 1 tbsp of peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes (until starting to brown).
4. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of peanut oil and add the carrots and red peppers. Mix thoroughly and then cook for around 1 minute.
5. Add the bean sprouts and scallions. Mix thoroughly and then cook for another minute.
6. Add the noodles and the sauce mix and cook for around 1-2 minutes, mixing thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2012

Christmas Salmon with Rice

Tweet

This is a wonderful new recipe adapted from Real Simple's One-Pot Salmon With Snap Peas and Rice. I changed this to brown rice, and added red peppers and asparagus. The name for the dish comes from the red and green vegetables served with the Salmon. This dish is really great and is very healthy - it is very low fat - making this great news. Oh...and it is easy!

Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 cup Brown rice
1 lbs Salmon fillet, skin removed
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste - around 1/4 tsp each)
1 bunch Asparagus (trimmed to around 4" from the tip - thinner the better)
1/2 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
2 Scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Ginger, grated or minced
1 tbsp Light brown sugar

Directions
1. Mix brown rice and 2 1/3 cups water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
2. Prepare the salmon for cooking by removing the skin and cutting into 2" slices.
3. After the rice has cooked for 35 minutes, add the salmon on top of the rice, and then spread the asparagus and red pepper across the pan. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook for an additional 13-14 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, scallions, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and brown sugar. Spoon sauce over the salmon, rice, and vegetables.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:08 PM | Comments (0)

April 07, 2012

Crispy Baked Cod

Tweet

Adapted from Cooking Light's Easy & Crispy Baked Fish Fillets that I found at Food.com. I really liked how it turned out and it is really pretty healthy...always a plus. We served this with asparagus and brown rice, a staple in our house these days!

Ingredients

1 lbs Cod or other white fish fillets
Cooking spray
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Mayonnaise (any kind)
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Pinch of Dill weed (dried)
1/4 cup Breadcrumb
1/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped (used used blanched and sliced almonds)

Directions:
1. Peheat oven to 425°.
2. Place fish in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, onion powder, pepper and a dash of dill in a small bowl - then spread lightly over fish.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs and the almonds, and then coat the fish fillets on the top only.
4. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 07:01 PM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2012

Almond-Crusted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

Tweet

This recipe was from the Dr. Oz show from chef Laurie Erickson. As we are known to do - we tweaked it a bit. We used a full chicken breast, which doubled the cooking time - but the veggies were great this way!

Ingredients (Makes 3 servings):
3/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped (used used blanched and sliced almonds)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard (enough to spread evenly over three chicken breasts)
3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note on cooking time)
1 lbs Fresh asparagus, cut around 5" from the tip
1 large Sweet potato
1 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Rosemary (dried)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450° F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small food processor, add the almonds and chop fine.
3. If working with full chicken breasts, pound them a bit (you do not need to do this if you are working with halves or thin slices).
4. Using a sauce brush, spread the mustard on one side of the chicken and spread around half the almonds. Using a fork, move it to the cookie sheet (almond side down) and then add mustard and almonds to the other side.
5. Scrub the sweet potato and cut into 1/4" slices. Then add the sweet potato slices and the asparagus to the cookie sheet (it may be tight).
6. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and then sprinkle salt and pepper (to taste) as rosemary on top.
7. Place in the oven. If using full breasts, cook for around 26-29 minutes (if using half breasts, cut time in half).

Enjoy! This is ANOTHER Dr. Oz recipe that (sadly) I like. Here's to healthy living!

Posted by cseeman at 06:17 PM | Comments (0)

March 25, 2012

Shrimp and Cashews Stir-fry

Tweet

This recipe was loosely adapted from a Food Network recipe for Spicy Shrimp, Celery, and Cashew Stir-fry. I took out some of the things I do not like and added Pam's favorites in stir-frys - broccoli, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Love the way this came out!

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Cooking sherry (or regular sherry)
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch (divided)
1 lbs Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
3 tbsp Peanut Oil (divided)
2 Crowns Broccoli, trimmed with stems no more than 1 inch
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews (can increase to 3/4 cup to taste)
1 can (8 oz.) Water Chestnuts, Sliced
6 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half (if larger)
3 tsp Garlic, chopped

Directions
1. Mix soy sauce, cooking sherry, sesame oil and 1 tsp cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 cornstarch on the shelled shrimp.
3. Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add broccoli, water chestnuts and cashews and stir-fry for around 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional minute. Then transfer broccoli mix to a serving bowl.
4. Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in the pan and add the shrimp. Cook for around 2 minutes as the shrimp turns pink. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
5. Return the broccoli mix to the pan and mix. Add the soy sauce mix and stir for around one more minute.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.

Posted by cseeman at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)

March 23, 2012

Stuffed Sole

Tweet

This recipe was adapted from a number of sources, but primarily from the crab cakes recipe found in this great book: Emalee Chapman's Fresh 15-minute meals. This is an easy recipe and it makes a great dish elegant enough to serve company.

Ingredients (Makes 4-6 stuffed sole - serves 3-4):
1 can of Crab meat (around 6oz)
1 tsp Lemon or lime juice
1 Egg (large)
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Celery, chopped small
1 tbsp Roasted red pepper - chopped small
1/4 tsp Paprika (plus some extra for topping)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
4-6 Sole fillets
Cooking Spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, add crab, lemon (or lime) juice, egg, breadcrumbs, celery, roasted red pepper, paprika, kosher salt and pepper. Mix until well blended
3. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Lay a sole fillet with the prettiest side down. Divide up the crab mixture and put equal parts near the wide end of each fillet. Take the narrow end of the fillet and wrap over and then under the stuffing (see how it looks in the picture).
5. Sprinkle the top with paprika and bake for around 20-23 minutes.

Enjoy!

NOTE: These are dry by design. If you want more moisture, you can drizzle wine or lemon juice over the stuffed sole when they are assembled.

Posted by cseeman at 07:23 PM | Comments (0)

March 21, 2012

Warm Chicken Salad Piccata

Tweet

This was adapted from a recipe from Every Day with Rachael Ray and my Warm Tuna Niçoise salad.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs Baby red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
3/4 lbs green beans, cut to 2-3" long
1/4 cup Olive oil
2 tbsp Capers, rinsed
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Grated lemon peel
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 or 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (to taste)
2-3 tbsp Canola Oil
2 Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/3" slices
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions
1. Place cleaned and cut potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam until tender (around 10 to 15 minutes).
2. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and then add the green beans to the steamer and cook for around 6 minutes.
3. In a large serving bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp capers, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, lemon peel and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Add the potatoes and beans and toss. Add salt and pepper (if desired).
4. While the potatoes and beans are steaming, beat two eggs in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium-high heat. Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg, allowing any excess to drip off, and coat with the flour again, shaking off the excess. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden, about 7-8 minutes (around 4 minutes a side). Transfer to a cutting board and cut into strips.
5. When all the chicken is cooked, add the chicken broth to the skillet along with 1 tsp of the flour mixture used to coat the chicken. Whisk the broth over medium high heat for around 3 minutes until blended (along with the browned bits in the pan). Then remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp capers, 1/4 cup parsley and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Top the salad with the chicken and drizzle with the pan sauce.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

March 17, 2012

Mini Turkey Burgers

Tweet

We all love, love, love these mini turkey burgers. You can almost call them turkey sliders - but they are really too good for that. We cook them on a Foreman Grill - but they can be cooked on a grill or in a pan. They are simply fantastic.

Ingredients
1 lbs Ground Turkey (use 93/7 - not the super lean)
1 Large egg
1/4 cup Bread crumbs
1 tsp Dried Sage
1/4 tsp Dried Pepper (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt (or more to taste)
8 Buns - dinner rolls work well
Cooking Spray

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients (except the buns and cooking spray of course) by hand until well blended.
2. Form into patties around 2 1/2" in diameter (they should fit the dinner rolls).
3. Heat the Foreman Grill to medium-high. Spray top and bottom with cooking spray. Place patties on the grill and cook them for around 8-9 minutes. (NOTE: if using a grill pan, cook on one side for around 8 minutes and 6 minutes on the other side).

Enjoy!.

Posted by cseeman at 06:41 PM | Comments (0)

March 11, 2012

Herb-Broiled Ruby Red Trout

Tweet

I have never cooked Ruby Red Trout before and it was really great. Ruby Red Trout in a farm-rasied trout that is somewhat similar to Salmon - so it can easily be swapped in this recipe. I still want to make Rainbow Trout - another day I guess. This was adapted from recipe I found in a 10 year old Cooking Light publication called What's for Dinner. I loved the way it turned out and will make it again - maybe with Salmon.

Ingredients
1/4 cup Dry white wine
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 1/2 lbs Ruby red trout fillets (cut into three or four pieces)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp Dried tarragon
1/2 tsp Dried basil
1/2 tsp Dried dill weed
Cooking Spray

Directions
1. Turn on broiler.
2. Coat cooking spray on a lipped baking sheet.
3. Combine wine, lemon juice and oil in a container. In a separate bowl, combine salt, pepper, tarragon, basil and dill weed.
4. Place the fish, skin side down, on the baking sheet and brush the wine mixture on top of the fish. Then sprinkle salt mixture on top of the fish.
5. Broil (on high) for 7 minutes. Fish will easily flake when tested with a fork.

Enjoy with vegetables and rice.

Posted by cseeman at 08:44 PM | Comments (0)

March 08, 2012

Pork Loin Chops with Orange Curry Sauce

Tweet

This was adapted from a recipe I found in an old Cooking Light recipe book that I found in the basement. I really wanted to try this simple dish, but I was paranoid that no one would like it. So I went out an purchased more pork chops that I cooked conventionally...as a fallback. I loved it as did others. Will definitely make this again.

Ingredients
1 tsp Curry powder (mild), divided
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
4 boneless center-cut pork loin chops (around 1/2" thick)
1/2 cup Orange marmalade
2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Prepared horseradish
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Combine 1/2 tsp curry powder, kosher salt, paprika, and ground pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of the pork chops.
2. Combine remaining 1/2 tsp curry powder, marmalade, balsamic vinegar, and horseradish in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and cook for 4 minutes on each site. The chops should lose their pink color. Remove port from pan and keep warm under foil.
4. Return the skillet to the heat source and add the marmalade mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute until blended with the loosened browned bits in the pan. Spoon the sauce over the pork (and maybe vegetables or other sides served with the pork).

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 09:33 PM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2012

Asian Grilled Salmon and Broccoli

Tweet

This was adapted from Helene Siegel's Chinese Cooking for Beginners (1992). Always looking for a good Salmon recipe.

Ingredients for Marinade (for 4 salmon fillets)
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1/4 cup Plum sauce
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice

Other Ingredients:
2 Salmon Fillets (around 1 1/2 lbs) cut into 3" slices with skin.
Cooking Spray
2 tbsp Peanut Oil
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 can Water chestnuts, sliced
3 Broccoli heads, florets only
1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce

Directions
1. Combine all marinade ingredients and mix with a whisk until blended.
2. Add all but 1/4 cup of the marinade to the fish and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Reserve the 1/4 cup marinade for the sauce.
3. On a grill pan, lightly coat with cooking spray and then heat on medium high temperature. Cook salmon around 4-5 minutes each side (flesh side first, skin side second).
4. Meanwhile, in another pan, heat peanut oil over medium high heat.
5. Add Garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook for around 1-2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and cook for around 4 more minutes.
6. Add reserved marinade and the Hoisin sauce.

Serve with the Salmon over rice.

Posted by cseeman at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2012

Chicken Satay

Tweet

This was adapted from a few recipes that I found in Thai cookbooks. The recipe that is closest came from Young's Simply Thai Cooking from 2003. The main part of the recipe is really coming up with the marinade. The rest is pretty easy. I was thinking a long time back that I would write a book called "Satay." It was going to be a fiction work that basically followed all that can happen when you are working on perfecting marinade for Satay. I thought about it like this: "A lot can happen while you are perfecting a recipe". Well that did not happen, so I thought I would better get this recipe out there!

Ingredients for Marinade
2 tsp Black Pepper, ground
4 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tbsp Chopped Garlic (or three cloves)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp Peanut Oil
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tsp Fish Sauce

Other Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts cut into thin strips - between 1/8" and 1/4" thick
12-15 metal or wooden skewers (if you are using wood - soak for 15 minutes in warm water).

Directions
1. Combine all marinade ingredients and mix with a whisk until blended.
2. Add the sliced chicken and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 12 hours.
3. Thread the chicken onto the skewers and cook on a grill pan or a grill press (like a Foreman Grill). If you are using a Foreman Grill, you can cook them around 4 minutes. If you are using a grill pan, cook for 4 minutes on the first side and then 3 minutes on the other side.

Enjoy with Thai Cucumber Salad and peanut sauce (I have used jarred.

Posted by cseeman at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2012

Warm Tuna Niçoise

Tweet

Warm Tuna Niçoise

This was adapted from a recipe on the excellent EatingWell site. The recipe first was in Eating Well Magazine in September/October 1991. This is a definite keeper as we both loved it!

Ingredients
5 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar, divided
3-4 tbsp olive oil, divided
Kosher salt & ground pepper to taste
8 oz green beans, cut to 2-3" long
8 oz tuna steak, cut into 1/4” thick slices
2 tsp chopped garlic (around 2 cloves)
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup roasted red pepper, cut into thin strips (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
12 Kalamata Olives (pitted) and cut in half lengthwise
1/2 tsp Lemon juice (adjust to taste)

Directions
1. Place cleaned and cut potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam until tender (around 10 to 15 minutes).
2. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and then add the green beans to the steamer and cook for around 6 minutes.
3. In the serving bowl, add 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil to the potatoes and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. When beans are done, add them to the serving bowl (with the potatoes) and gently toss again (adding salt and pepper if wanted).
5. In a saute pan, heat around 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced tuna and cook until browned on each side (around 2-3 minutes per side). Place tuna in bowl with potatoes and green beans.
6. Add remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil to the pan. Add garlic and anchovies and saute, stirring for less than a minute until garlic starts to brown.
7. Add remaining 3 tbsp red-wine vinegar and broth to the pan, and bringing it to a boil. Stir continually for 1-2 minutes and then remove from heat. Add mustard into the sauce and mix thoroughly.
8. Pour sauce over the potatoes and green beans, gently tossing. Then add red peppers, capers, olives and lemon juice and toss gently.

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2012

Baked Ocean Perch with Green Beans

Tweet

Baked Ocean Perch with Green Beans

Adapted from a recipe from the Orca Bay Seafood site (though it is not working now). We liked this a lot, though it was not on our quick repeat list. I suppose you can say we did not love it, but we would eat it again. I love the way the beans came out and it has got to be good for you and low-fat. We served this with bread - might be good with rice or quinoa. Next time, I think I will use crushed tomatoes and will add lemon to the mix. Will tweak that and try it again.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
2 tsp chopped garlic (increase to taste)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 14oz can Petite Chopped Tomatoes, with liquid
6-8 oz green beans, cut into pieces no longer than 2-3 inches
4 Ocean Perch fillets (around 3/4 lbs)
1 tbsp capers, drained
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onions. Sauté for around 5 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add garlic and cook for around 1 minute.
4. Add wine, thyme, oregano, tomatoes and green beans to pan and bring mix to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes.
5. In a oven safe casserole dish, place around 1/3 to 1/2 of a cup of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place the perch fillets in a single layer and then sprinkle the capers and olives on top of them. Pour the rest of the sauce and green beans on top of the fish.
6. Place in the oven for around 15-17 minutes.

Serve with bread, rice or quinoa.

Posted by cseeman at 07:08 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2012

Piccata-Style Chicken With Rice

Tweet

Adapted from a recipe in Prevention's quick and healthy low-fat cooking : featuring cuisines from the Mediterranean (1993) by Jean Rogers. The original recipe is on page 161. This was simply fantastic!

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbsp Thin sliced Almonds
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut in half diagonally (so no piece is too thick)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups Quick-cooking brown rice (I used Minute Rice)
1 tbsp dried Parsley
1 1/2 cups Chicken broth
1/4 cups Lemon juice
2 tbsp Capers (rinsed)

Directions

1. Over medium heat, gently toast the almonds in a saute pan for 4-6 minutes and then remove from heat.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the chicken until lightly brown (around 4 minutes per side).
3. Add rice, parsley, broth, lemon juice and capers to the pan and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for around 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave covered for an additional 5
minutes.
5. Add toasted almonds and enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)

February 07, 2012

Chicken Stir-Fry with Green Beans and Broccoli

Chicken Stir-Fry with Green Beans and Broccoli

Tweet

Adapted from a recipe for Emeril's Chicken Stir-Fry with Green Beans from the Food

Network. This was wonderful served with brown rice.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, very thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp Asian spice blend
1/4 cup peanut oil
3/4 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed and longer beans cut in half
3 crowns broccoli, trimmed with stems no more than 1 inch.
2 tbsp (or cloves) minced garlic
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 6 tablespoons of the soy sauce, and Asian spice blend. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes or longer (up to 3 hours).
2. In a large wok or saute pan, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken (along with some of the marinade mixture) and stirring constantly, cook until browned, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the beans and broccoli to the pan and stir-fry, around 2 to 3 minutes. Note - if you add more veggies (always a good idea) - add time to this stage.
4. Add the garlic, walnuts, hoisin sauce to the mix and cook for 1-2 minutes longer
5. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, over rice rice. Garnish with green onions.

Posted by cseeman at 12:10 PM | Comments (0)

February 04, 2012

Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage with Saffron Rice

Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage with Saffron Rice

Tweet

Adapted from a recipe from Real Simple. This reheats very well and is great for lunch!

Ingredients (serves 6-7)
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (adjust to taste)
1 chicken breast, cut in half and sliced 1/4 inch thick
16 oz Polish Kilbasa, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine
2 14.5-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth or 4 cups chicken broth
24 saffron threads, crumbled
2 cups long-grain white rice
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil. Season the chicken with some of the salt and pepper and saute in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat for around 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Heat remaining oil in the pan and add Kilbasa. Brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked chicken to the pan along with the wine. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the broth, saffron, remaining salt and pepper and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Stir the shrimp and peas into the rice, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Posted by cseeman at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2012

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Tweet

Adapted from a recipe at Busch's, an Ann-Arbor based grocery store that has great recipes to use.

We served over brown rice and it was fantastic. This serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
6 tbsp Soy Sauce
4 tbsp Dry Sherry or Cooking Sherry
2 tbsp Corn Starch
3 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips (1/4")
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper (or more to taste)
3 tbsp Peanut Oil (add more if needed or if using more vegetables)
1 tbsp Minced Fresh Ginger
2 tsp or two cloves Minced Garlic
3 cups Broccoli Florets
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 can (8 oz.) Water Chestnuts, Sliced
12 Ounces Fresh Mushrooms, stems removed and large ones cut in half.
3 Scallions, cut into 1" pieces

Directions
1. Whisk together stock, soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves. Set aside
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Add chicken to skillet and stir-fry until white, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add broccoli florets, bell pepper and water chestnuts and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and scallions and stir-fry an additional minute.
4. Add chicken stock mixture and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)

August 28, 2011

Garlic and Herb Lemon Chicken

Adapted this recipe from a McCormick advertisement for their Garlic & Herb Perfect Pinch - which is an ingredient. It is fantastic! I think that you might use any Garlic and Herb Seasoning mix in its place.

Tweet

Ingredients
2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into slices around 1/3"
3/4 cup flour
2 tbsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb Seasoning (or other seasoning mix)
4 tbsp Canola Oil (or another vegetable oil)
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp+1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dried parsley

Directions
1. Mix the flour and the seasoning mix in a bowl. Dip cut chicken in water and coat both sides with mixture.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add chicken slices (filling the pan in a single layer) and cook for 3 minutes per side.
3. After cooking on both sides, remove and place on a plate under foil.
4. Heat the other 2 tbsp of oil and cook the remaining chicken the same way.
5. When the chicken is done cooking (and keeping warm), add the broth, lemon juice and around 2 tbsp of reserved flour mixture. Use a wisk to bring up the browned bits in the skillet and steadily mix for around 5 minutes. After around 4 minutes, add the dried parsley.
6. Pour over chicken and serve.

Posted by cseeman at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2011

Pan Fried Whitefish

Modestly adapted from a recipe found on the Food Network site. Super easy and very delicious.

Tweet

Ingredients (three fillets feeds 4 people comfortably)
Whitefish fillets (cut into 5" sections)
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Flour (about 1/2 cup for three fillets)
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. With the skin-side down, sprinkle the flesh of the fillet with salt and pepper to taste. Then sprinkle lightly with flour. Gently Shake off excess flour.
3. Place the fillets in the pan with the skin side down, cook for 4 minutes (you might need to adjust with the thickness of the fish). Skin side should be nice and golden.
4. Turn the fish over and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from pan and let the oil drain (paper towels work here).

Enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 08:13 PM | Comments (0)

June 04, 2011

Simple Chicken with Broccoli Stir-fry

Not too fancy – but a really nice ‘fake-Chinese’ dish. Serve it over rice and it is a nice winner.

Tweet

Ingredients
4-5 tbsp Olive Oil
4 tsp Chopped Garlic (or 4 cloves)
1 small Onion (sliced thinly)
1 8oz. can Water Chestnuts (sliced)
3 Chicken Breasts – thinly sliced
½ or whole Fresh Red Pepper (sliced into thin strips)
12 oz White Mushrooms (sliced in half if smaller or in quarters if large)
Florets from 2 Broccoli Crowns (keep as much of the stem as you would like)
3-4 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2-3 Scallions – thinly sliced

Steps
1. Heat 2-3 tbsp of Olive Oil over medium high head.
2. Add 2 tsp of Garlic, the onion and chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes (stirring continuously). When done, remove and place in bowl, covered with foil to retain heat.
3. Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil & remaining Garlic.
4. Add Red Peppers and Mushrooms and cook 1-2 minutes (stirring continuously).
5. Add Broccoli and Water Chestnuts and cook around 5 minutes (stirring continuously).
6. Mix back in the cooked Chicken and stir. Add Oyster Sauce and Scallions (if wanted)
7. Mix thoroughly and heat for around 2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Posted by cseeman at 07:54 PM | Comments (0)

February 02, 2011

Thai Chicken with Basil and Peppers

This was modified from a recipe from Martha Stewart. It was not that difficult and was fantastic.

(NOTE: The buns were for sloppy joes!)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbs plus 1 tsp fish sauce
2 tbs plus 1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
2-3 tsp chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper - sliced julienne style
1 green bell pepper - sliced julienne style
2 skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions
1. Slice the chicken breasts in thin strips (around 1/4" thick) - you might freeze it for a short time to make it easier to slice.
2. In a saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cover and bring to a boil - then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until rice was tender - around 25 minutes. The liquid will be absorbed by the rice.
3. Combine fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
4. When the rice is almost done - start the rest of the meal.
5. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat.
6. Add garlic and the peppers and cook for around a minute.
7. Add the chicken and cook for around 4 minutes (you can take a piece and make sure it is cooked through).
8. Add fish sauce mixture and cook for around 45 seconds.
9. Add the basil and stir to combine.
10. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Posted by cseeman at 04:43 PM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2011

Fish Cakes

This recipe was adapted from Emalee Chapman's Fresh 15-minute meals. The original recipe was for crab cakes. This is an easy recipe and it makes a great dish.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cooked cod or other white fish (skin removed)
1 tsp lemon or lime juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs flour
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions
1. Break apart the fish with a fork into smaller pieces and place in mixing bowl.
2. Add lemon or lime juice and eggs. Mix until well blended
3. Add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper (to taste) and mix to combine.
4. Using a tablespoon, form small patties. Sprinkle patties with flour on both sides.
5. Heat oil over medium heat. Cook 3 patties at a time. Cook approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain over paper towel and enjoy!

Posted by cseeman at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2010

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Sauerkraut

Been a while - this is a great dish and just in time for St. Patrick's Day! Super easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried minced onions
1 corned beef (average piece - 3 lbs)
2 lbs sauerkraut (canned or jarred) - you might need more with a larger piece of corned beef)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the dried onion on the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add the corned beef, fat side up.
3. Place the sauerkraut on top of the beef to cover. Include all the liquid from the jar or can.
4. Cook all day long - around 10 hours on low setting.

You could add other veggies, but we have kept it simple.
This is WONDERFUL as sandwiches with rye bread.

Posted by cseeman at 08:59 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2009

Franklin Sole and Vegetables

Franklin Sole and Vegetables

This recipe came out fantastic! It even won me a $100 bet with the Mrs. - hence the name "Franklin Sole and Vegetables (click for photo)".

It was adapted from this recipe from Ellie Krieger (a Food Network cook):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/healthy-appetite-with-ellie-krieger-/flounder-and-vegetable-parcels-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) frozen sole fillets (could work with other thin white fish fillets)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini (sliced into 1/8" diagonal slices)
1 medium carrot (sliced into 1/8" diagonal slices)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut julienne style
2 medium shallots (sliced into 1/8" diagonal slices)
12-16 thin asparagus tops (top 2-3 inches) - if thick cut in half
4 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon (sliced into 1/8" diagonal slices)
4 sprigs of fresh dill

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Season the fish fillets with the salt and pepper.
2. Place 1 fish fillet at the center of a piece of foil (around 12-14").
3. On top of the fish, place a equal amounts of zucchini, carrot, pepper, shallots, and asparagus.
4. Put 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil & 1 tablespoon of white wine on each fillet. Add 2-3 lemon slices and one sprig of fresh dill on each packet.
5. Seal the packets securely, leaving a little room to allow the fish to steam. Transfer the packets to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from foil and pour sauce on top of the fish.

Posted by cseeman at 09:09 PM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2009

Celebration Pasta

This is modified from a few different recipes that we have seen using greens with pasta. It is Pam's new favorite.

Ingredients
1 pound pasta - any will do (I like penne or rigatoni)
4 cloves garlic, chopped (or 4 teaspoons)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound shrimp (31/40 count) - increase to taste
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, whitecap, sliced
1 package fresh arugula (around 5 oz)
1 package fresh baby spinach (around 8 oz)
4-6 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes - cut into thin strips.
1 bunch fresh basil, cut into strips (you can replace with a much smaller amount of dried basil if you do not have any fresh)
2-3 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta as directed

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. You will need a big pan for this as the greens need room to wilt.

3. Add 2 cloves (chopped) of garlic, cook for 30 seconds and then add shrimp. Saute the shrimp until they are pink, remove from pan and leave covered under foil to keep warm.

4. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil; add remaining garlic and the small chopped onion; cook for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add chopped mushrooms, cook for 4-5 minutes.

6. Add greens (arugula and spinach). Using tongs (I think that is what they are called), work the greens into the heat until it is fully coated and starting to wilt. As you are mixing, this should take just a few minutes.

7. When the greens are wilted, add sun-dried tomatoes; cook for 1 minute, then add shrimp and fresh basil.

8. Add pasta and mix in the pan, cover for around one minute.

9. Add 2-3 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese and cook for around one more minute.

Posted by cseeman at 06:58 AM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2007

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

This recipe came from Real Simple Magazine. I made it by the books, but I am going to play with it for the next time...

3-4 pounds Chicken Breasts
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons lite maple syrup
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat oven to 400° F.

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Cut off excessive skin.

Arrange the chicken and sweet potatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme.

Roast, stirring once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Posted by cseeman at 08:01 PM | Comments (1)

September 24, 2007

Slow Cooker Roast (Variation)

Played with this recipe a bit and came up with a nice variation.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs Chuck or English Roast
2 medium onions, thinly sliced (1/6" thick or so)
1 lb baby carrots or 5-6 regular carrots cleaned and sliced 1/2" thick
6-8 Red Skin Potatoes, cleaned and cut into quaters
1 package of onion soup mix (any variety)
1 can petite diced tomatoes (any variety)
1 cup of beef broth
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
cooking spray or olive oil

1. Place the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Salt and Pepper (to taste) both sides of the roast.
3. In a pan over medium-high heat, heat cooking spray or olive oil and then brown the sides of the roast (about 4-5 minutes each side). Place the roast in the slow cooker.
4. Add carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker, filling the sides and above the meat.
5. Sprinkle the onion soup mix across the top of the roast. (NOTE: add dried minced onions if you would like)
6. Spread tomatoes across the top and then pour in the broth. Add additional salt and pepper if desired.
7. Turn on low and cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Posted by cseeman at 05:52 AM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2007

Beef Stew

Played with the recipe a bit...this came out totally fantastic! Best stew I ever made.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs stew meat, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1.5 cups of baby carrots
7-8 small red potatoes, cleaned and sliced into quaters
1 package onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
3-4 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

Layer the ingredients this way:

1. Add onions on the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Dredge the meat in the flour (with salt and pepper), place meat in the slow cooker.
3. Add carrots and potatoes to the sides and top.
4. Sprinkle onion soup mix on top
5. Pour in broth & tomatoes (with liquid).
6. Cook for 8-10 hours & serve.

Posted by cseeman at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)

May 26, 2007

Sugar Glazed Salmon

This was a great recipe that I adapted from the cookbook by Cynthia Nims called "Salmon" (part of the Northwest Homegrown Cookbook Series from WestWinds Press (2005) - Picked it up at ALA Midwinter in Seattle.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1-2 salmon fillets (about 14 oz total)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbs kosher salt
pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Get a piece of aluminum foil that will be big enough to wrap the salmon with a small air pocket.
3. Drizzle the oil on the middle of the foil. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the middle.
4. Sprinkle the salt over the salmon and add pepper to taste.
5. Spread evenly the brown sugar over the salmon. Fold up the foil to it covers the salmon and creates a light seal.
6. Cook for 20 minutes or so.

Serve with rice and vegetables.

Posted by cseeman at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms

NOTE: This recipe was adapted from a great one from "Quick After-Work Italian Cooking" by Hilaire Walden; Fisher Books, 1995.

A new variation is found here.

3 tbs olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tbs chopped garlic
4 skinless chicken breasts, flattened and lightly scored with a knife
juice and zest from one lemon plus an additional tbs of lemon juice
8 oz white mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half
kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
2. Raise heat to Medium-high. Add chicken breasts and cook until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes per side.
3. Lower heat back to medium. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste) and mushrooms. Mix gently.
4. Cover and cook for 10-13 more minutes (turning chicken from time to time).
5. Server with juices over pasta or rice.

Posted by cseeman at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2007

Lentil Stew

Tweet

OK...make your Lentil jokes (see this MST 3000 entry).

This is a great low-fat and filling stew. I serve this over brown rice and it is a great lunch. Very easy to make. Could also be used as a side-dish (I suppose) in smaller portions.

Ingredients

1 cup Dried lentils (use plain brown lentils and rinse them before putting in the slow cooker)
1 cup Carrots, diced
1 cup Celery, diced
1 cup Onions, diced
3 tsp (or cloves) Garlic, diced
1 tsp Basil, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
2-3 Bay leaves
4 cups Broth (vegatable or chicken)
1 14.5 oz Can of petite diced tomatoes

Directions
1. Place all the items in the slow cooker and gently stir a few times.
2. Cook all day 10-12 hours on low setting.
3. Discard bay leaves and enjoy.

Serving suggestion, serve over brown rice (1/2 cup per serving or so).

Posted by cseeman at 08:51 AM | Comments (0)

Shepardess Pie

A variation on Shepard's Pie...this is a new favorite at home. Shepard's Pie and Chicken Pot Pie fight it out for a healthier variation.

Ingredients
3-4 cups cooked and diced chicken (great use of the chicken from the soup recipe)
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bag frozen peas and carrots (16 ozs)
2 jars/cans of chicken gravy (fat free works fine)

2 cups mashed potatoes

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat oil over medium high heat.

3. Add onion and cook until soft, 4-5 minutes

4. Add chicken, salt, pepper and frozen peas & carrots and stir until veggies break apart (3-5 minutes)

5. Add gravy and cook until mixed and starting to bubble (3-5 minutes)

6. Place chicken mix into round or oval caserole pan. Spread the mashed potatoes on top for the crust.

7. Cook for 35-40 minutes.

Posted by cseeman at 08:29 AM | Comments (0)

November 03, 2006

Nice Basic Roast

Adapted a recipe that I made previously. Good start...need more thought though.

Ingredients

2-2.5 lbs roast (I used Arm Roast...think any would do)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced or 1.5 cups of baby carrots
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 package onion soup mix
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp steak spice/seasoning (use the kind that are not granulated - See McCormicks, etc.

Layer the ingredients this way:

1. Add onions on the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Place roast in the slow cooker next with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.
3. Add onion soup mix and steak spices on top of the roast.
4. Add carrots and potatoes to the sides and top.
5. Pour in broth.
6. Cook for 8-10 hours & serve.

1 cup beef broth
1 tsp steak spice/seasoning (use the kind that are not granulated - See McCormicks, etc.

Posted by cseeman at 07:57 AM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2006

Vegetarian Hash

Whipped this up this morning. Could be on to something!

Ingredients:

3 tbs olive oil
4 scrubbed red potatoes (quartered and sliced into 1/8" pieces about the size of a quarter - leave skin on)
8 oz White Mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup Peppers (Green or Red), diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Heat around 2 tbs of olive oil in a saute pan over medium high
heat
2. Add potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper (add more to taste).
3. Saute for 10-15 minutes or until browned.
4. Add remaining tbs of oil, the mushrooms, and the peppers.
5. Saute for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Serve with eggs if desired.

Posted by cseeman at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2006

Chicken Taco Filling

Chicken Taco Filling

NOTE: I found this recipe in one of those recipe magazines from the grocery store. This was from Prevention Magazines "PreventionGuide Slow Cooker Recipes (Fall 2006). It is very easy...and tastes great.

Ingredients:

3 Frozen boneless and skinless chicken breasts (around 1 1/2 pounds)
1 can diced tomatoes (with or without green chilies), undrained
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix (low sodium is a good alternative)

Steps

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker.
2. Mix the tomatoes and taco seasoning mix and cover the chicken.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. When done, take two forks and shred the chicken and mix into the sauce.

You can serve as taco filling, over rice...etc.

Posted by cseeman at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

October 01, 2006

Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches

(NOTE: I made this a while ago and stumbled on the recipe. It is great for the slow cooker. I am trying an alternative today and will post that as well. I needed the alternative when I could not find this recipe until after I got the slow cooker started!)

5 tbs dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 (1-lb) flank steaks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato paste
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
3 tbs molasses
3 tbs cider vinegar
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

To serve:
submarine rolls (serves 10)
Red onion slices (optional)
Dill pickle slices (optional)

1. Combine 1 tbs brown sugar and pepper; rub over both sides of steaks.

2. Combine remaining brown sugar, onion, and next 9 sauce ingredients (through salt) in a slow cooker.

3. Add flank steaks and turn to coat

4. Cook on high setting for one hour and then low setting for 7 hours. (NOTE: I think I did this when I cooked it before. However, if you are doing this in the morning before heading off to work, you might need to adjust this a bit. I am sure that it would work with 9 hours on low, but I have not tried it!)

5. Shred the steaks with forks and mix in the sauce (it might be easier to remove the steaks, shred and return to the slow cooker.

6. Serve as desired (rolls with onions and pickles if you care).
sauce.)

Posted by cseeman at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2006

Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes

We will see how good this is tonight! (NOTE: It was very good...almost excellent!) This is a simple slow cooker meal with what I had in the house this morning. The pork tenderloin was pre-seasoned "garlic and herb," but I do not think it will matter much.

Ingredients:

1 Pork Tenderloin (1.5 lbs)
8 White Potatoes (peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
4 carrots (peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces) (or use baby carrots)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package of onion soup mix
1 1/2 cup of water

1. Place cut potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Place the pork tenderloin on top of the potatoes. Do not cut the meat, but bend it so it will fit.
3. Add carrots, soup mix, water and tomatoes to the slow cooker.
4. Cook for 8 hours on low.

Posted by cseeman at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2006

Slow Cooker Roast

Hardly worth the effort of an entry here...but this is a nice thing to get going on a Friday morning. When you get home from work, it is nice to have something waiting for you so you do not end up getting fast food!

Ingredients:

2 lbs Chuck or English Roast
1-2 medium onions, sliced 1/3" thick
3-4 carrots, sliced 1/2" thick
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced to 1/3" thick
1 package of onion soup mix (any variety)
2 cups of water
kosher salt to taste
peper to taste

1. Place the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Salt and pepper (to taste) both sides of the roast and place it on the onions. Add onion soup on top of the roast.
3. Add carrots to the side and place the potatoes on top of the roast.
4. Add water and salt and pepper.
5. Turn on low and cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Posted by cseeman at 07:04 AM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2006

Roasted Turkey

Roasted Turkey

This was adapted from a recipe from Food Network and one from the Longaberger Cookbook (yep...the basket people).

1 (8 to 12 pound) turkey (frozen is fine...but hey, defrost in time)
2 tbs Rosemary (dried)
2 tbs Thyme (dried)
2 tbs Parsley (dried)
2+ tbs Kosher salt
2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
1 medium vidalia or yellow onion, quartered (plus one optional onion for the bottom of the pan - see step 2)
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
6 tablespoons unsalted (3/4 stick) melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Take the giblets and neck outof the turkey. Wash the turkey and remove any excess fat. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.

NOTE: Over the weekend, I added one thinly sliced onion on the bottom of the pan and a cup of hot water. This made a very nice gravy. Thanks mom...

3. Using half the kosher salt and pepper, put the mixture on the inside of the turkey cavity. Then stuff with fresh thyme, lemon (halved), onion (quartered), and the garlic (halved).

4. Brush the outside of the turkey with melted butter.

5. Mix the dried rosemary, thyme, parsley and remaining salt and pepper and spread over the turkey (it will stick to where the butter is). Depending on the size of the turkey, you might need more more or less spice mixture.

6. Roast the turkey (using the directions on the package). For a ten pound turkey, it cooked in around 3 hours. Baste the turkey from time to time with pan juices.

7. Remove the turkey when the indicator pops. Cover with foil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

Posted by cseeman at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

September 08, 2006

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cornbread Crust

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cornbread Crust

This recipe was adapted from one on the Food Network Website that was on Sara's Secret show. I did not have sage so I used Rosemary (thanks to brother-in-law Steve). Also, I cooked it longer than it said to make sure if was very well cooked. It was excellent and even people who are not huge pork fans liked this.

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup crumbled corn muffin
2 tablespoon bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried taragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to an oiled shallow baking pan.
4. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and cook garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Remove pan from heat and stir in crumbs, rosemary, taragon, and salt and pepper (adjust to taste).
6. Spread mustard over pork and pat seasoned crumbs onto mustard. For the crumbs that do not fit on top, put to the side of the port.
7. Roast in middle of oven until pork is no longer red or pink. This will be around 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the tenderloin. (I believe if you had an instant-read thermometer it would register around 140 degrees F).
8. Transfer to a cutting board, then tent loosely with foil and let stand a few minutes before slicing.

Serve with red skin potatoes and canned green beans...hey you worked hard making this!

Posted by cseeman at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)

August 30, 2006

Roasted Chicken with Green Beans, Potatoes and Olives

Roasted Chicken with Green Beans, Potatoes and Olives

This is an adaptation of the previous dish (Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives). I made this tonight with Chicken and it was even better! Hazah!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods

2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

6 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

3 chicken breasts (skinless) - Cut in half and trimmed of fat (make sure they are not too thick)

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 pound Green Beans (trimmed)

1 egg

flour (1/2 cup - or thereabouts)

Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup - or thereabouts)

1. Preheat oven to 450°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with garlic, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer, cut side down. Bake about 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the Green Beans and cook 10 more minutes until potatoes are browned.

3. Mix flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a bowl and place the chicken in the bowl to coat. Coat in the flour mix.

4. Cook chicken in pan over medium high heat until browned on both sides (around 4 minutes per side).

5. Remove baking sheet from oven. Add tomatoes and olives to potatoes and green beans; stir to combine. Push vegetable mixture to one side; place cooked chicken in the middle flat on baking sheet, next to vegetables. Return to oven, and roast until chicken is fully cooked through and potatoes are brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to serving platter. Serve immediately.

Posted by cseeman at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)

August 27, 2006

Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives

Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives

I made this tonight and it was fantastic. I am going to make this again, but add green beans at the halfway mark of roasting the potatoes. I am the only one here who likes tomatoes, but they help make a nice sauce. I also overdid the fish, so I want to keep it to 15 minutes.

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods

2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

4 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

4 cod fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with garlic, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer, cut side down. Bake, tossing potatoes once, until beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rub fillets with remaining teaspoon oil; season all sides with salt and pepper.

3. Remove baking sheet from oven. Add tomatoes and olives to potatoes; stir to combine. Push vegetable mixture to one side; place fillets flat on baking sheet, next to vegetables. Return to oven, and roast until fish is cooked through and potatoes are brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer fish and vegetables to serving platter. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges if desired.

Posted by cseeman at 08:59 PM | Comments (0)

Our Family's Meatloaf

Our Family's Meatloaf

Kinda simple, kinda easy...but everyone likes it...

Ingredients (adjust according to the amount of ground beef):
1 lb of ground beef (we almost always use Ground Sirloin...you can use ground turkey, I am sure)
1 egg (add another egg is you end up with around 1.5 lbs of beef)
1 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup warm water
1 package onion soup mix (Lipton or others...any variety).
1 tbs dried minced onion (if desired).

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (do not try to mix in the loaf pan...it will not work...trust me on this one).
3. Bake for around one hour. Check the loaf before serving. If you end up with more beef, it could need a few extra minutes.

Enjoy with potatoes and a green vegetable.

Posted by cseeman at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2006

Pammy's Special

I made this dish tonight. Nothing fancy, but it came out OK and was a bit like something more interesting that you could get at a chinese restaurant (as opposed to the traditional stir fry fare that I have been doing lately).

I will flesh this out later:

1 Chicken Breast, cut into thin strips, no more than 1 inch square and 1/4" thick.
1/4-1/2 pound of medium or large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 carrot - thinly sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms (white or baby bella's) - sliced
1 bunch of Asparagus - top 4 inches only
1 can of sliced water chestnuts
1-2 cloves of garlic or teaspoons of minced garlic
3+ tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion (medium), thinly sliced.
1-2 tablespoon of oyster sauce

heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in high heat.
Add 1-2 cloves of garlic
Add Chicken and cook until browned (4-5 minutes). Remove from heat and place in plate.
heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in high heat.
Add Onions (and more garlic if you want), cook for 2 minutes
Add water chestnuts, carrots & Asparagus, cook for around 4 minutes
Add mushrooms and cook for around 4 minutes
Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink (around 2 minutes). Mix with all the contents.
Add cooked chicken back to the pan and add oyster sauce.

Serves around 3-4. I will work on this! It was great with thin Asparagus.

Posted by cseeman at 09:09 PM | Comments (0)

August 06, 2006

Shrimp and Sausage with Saffron Rice

Shrimp and Sausage with Saffron Rice
From REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE (August 2006)

NOTE: THIS IS EXCELLENT! I made this with kielbasa (healthy choice) and it was great. I bought saffron at a small mediterranean grocery store in Ann Arbor. This was much less expensive than the larger grocery stores.

2 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces andouille sausage (or kielbasa), sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
12 saffron threads, crumbled
1 cup long-grain white rice
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth, saffron, and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir the shrimp and peas into the rice, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with the salt and pepper. Spoon onto plates and add the cilantro (if using).

Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 437(43% from fat); FAT 21g (sat 8g); SUGAR 4g; PROTEIN 29g; CHOLESTEROL 169mg; SODIUM 1,052mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 29g

Kate Merker
Real Simple, AUGUST 2006

Posted by cseeman at 09:29 PM | Comments (0)

August 03, 2006

Tortilla Espanola (also Tortilla Espagnola or Tortilla de patatas)

Tortilla Espanola (also Tortilla Espagnola or Tortilla de patatas)

NOTE: This is one of my favorite things to make. Once you get the hang of this dish, it will be very easy to make and something that will be welcome for any meal! This dish is basically a Spanish potato omelette. I have heard that the word "Tortilla" in this dish comes from its circular shape, but it could also come from the fact that it will end up "cake" like. If you called this "Fred", it would still taste great.

SECOND NOTE: If you have access to one of the slicers like a mandolin, use it on the thinnest setting. It makes it much easier to make and the tastes blend nicely.

Ingredients:

-4-5 medium white potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

-1 medium onion (yellow or vidalia), thinly sliced

-6 eggs

-3 tablespoons olive oil

-Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions and stir every few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. The potatoes should cook for around 15 minutes. If you have larger potatoes, you might need to take a bit longer. The potatoes and onion should not burn, but they might brown a bit.

2. In a large bowl, beat 6 eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. When potato and onion mixture is finished, add to the bowl with the eggs. Mix Thoroughly.

3. Add one tablespoon oil to a skillet over medium heat(it can be the same used in step number 1. The ideal skillet for this step will have curved sides). Let heat up and then add the potato/onion/egg mixture spread evenly into the skillet.

4. Cook over medium heat for around 6 minutes until firm on the top (you do not want to burn the bottom).

5. Take a large plate and place it over the top of the skillet. Make sure the smooth side of the plate is next to the food. Flip the skillet onto the plate. (If it falls apart, you did not cook it long enough.) Then slide it back into the skillet to cook the other side of the tortilla. Cook for an additional 4 minutes or so.

6. Remove from heat and serve. Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy.

Posted by cseeman at 06:26 AM | Comments (0)