This recipe came from Ashley Melvin, the little red head that came with us to Virginia for Oktoberfest. Ashley and Katy are in graduate school together and have gotten to be close friends. She loves to cook and this is one of her favorite recipes.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
12 oz chicken breast tenders
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup green salsa
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 (8 inch) fat free flour tortillas
cooking spray
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Preparation
Preheat broiler
Combine first three ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to a pan, saute for three minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan, saute for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet, lighting coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sausage Spinach Roll Ups
Katy's 6'5 teammate in college, Becca Henderson, wanted to cook us dinner one night at our apartment in Bridgewater, and this is the recipe she cooked for us. I was hesitant as I did not think I was a huge spinach fan, but this recipe became an instant classic for us and I learned I do like spinach!
Ingredient:
8 oz. Sausage
1 medium sized onion
Box of frozen chopped spinach
Cheddar cheese soup
cheddar cheese (1-2 cups)
1 egg
4-6 pieces of bread dough
-lightly grease large cookie sheet
-cook 8 oz. sausage in skillet until it begins to brown
-add chopped onion and box of thawed frozen chopped spinach
-cook for until sausage is browned all the way through
-pour off fat and add cheddar cheese soup
-cool
-roll out 4-6 pieces of bread dough on lightly floured surface
-put sausage/spinach mix on one side of dough and sprinkle with cheddar cheese
-fold over dough and seal edges
- brush a little beaten egg over dough and sprinkle with poppy seed (optional, although I recommend the beaten egg)
-place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350
Ingredient:
8 oz. Sausage
1 medium sized onion
Box of frozen chopped spinach
Cheddar cheese soup
cheddar cheese (1-2 cups)
1 egg
4-6 pieces of bread dough
-lightly grease large cookie sheet
-cook 8 oz. sausage in skillet until it begins to brown
-add chopped onion and box of thawed frozen chopped spinach
-cook for until sausage is browned all the way through
-pour off fat and add cheddar cheese soup
-cool
-roll out 4-6 pieces of bread dough on lightly floured surface
-put sausage/spinach mix on one side of dough and sprinkle with cheddar cheese
-fold over dough and seal edges
- brush a little beaten egg over dough and sprinkle with poppy seed (optional, although I recommend the beaten egg)
-place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Braised Short Ribs
An easy tasty meal. Usually served over egg noodles buttered and sprinkled with parsley but we'll spoon it over cheese grits too!
We don't use a slow cooker and, becxasue it;s kind of messy to prepare, I do everything outside on my grill side burner, put it all in a caserole pot and stick in the oven at 300. Bev appreciates me keeping the mess outside!
Ingredients:
4 lb. bone-in beef short ribs (boneless works just fine)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
2 large sweet onions, chopped
1 bag baby carrots or cut up 3 large carrots into 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bottle red wine, any kind, more for drinking while you cook
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
fresh thyme (dried works fine)
fresh rosemary finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 cups beef stock (we use Kitchen Basics)
Directions:
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Spread the flour out on a rimmed baking sheet. Dredge the ribs in the flour, shaking off the excess.
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the 3 Tbs. olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add more oil to the Dutch oven if needed. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Add the wine to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf, mashing any large chunks of tomato paste with a spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until thickened and reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine mixture to the slow cooker along with enough stock to come halfway up the sides of the ribs. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours stirring occasionally.
Skim the fat off the sauce. Discard the herb bay leaf.
Spoon over egg noodles or cheese grits
We don't use a slow cooker and, becxasue it;s kind of messy to prepare, I do everything outside on my grill side burner, put it all in a caserole pot and stick in the oven at 300. Bev appreciates me keeping the mess outside!
Ingredients:
4 lb. bone-in beef short ribs (boneless works just fine)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
2 large sweet onions, chopped
1 bag baby carrots or cut up 3 large carrots into 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bottle red wine, any kind, more for drinking while you cook
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
fresh thyme (dried works fine)
fresh rosemary finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 cups beef stock (we use Kitchen Basics)
Directions:
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Spread the flour out on a rimmed baking sheet. Dredge the ribs in the flour, shaking off the excess.
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the 3 Tbs. olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add more oil to the Dutch oven if needed. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Add the wine to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf, mashing any large chunks of tomato paste with a spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until thickened and reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine mixture to the slow cooker along with enough stock to come halfway up the sides of the ribs. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours stirring occasionally.
Skim the fat off the sauce. Discard the herb bay leaf.
Spoon over egg noodles or cheese grits
Smoked Paprika Shrimp with Grits
Shrimp is real cheap right now here on the Gulf Coast. This is another quick meal that tasstes great!
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
smoked parika (smoked is better than sweet hungarian paprika but it works too, smoked just gives it a better flavor)
fresh ground black pepper
coarse sea salt
4 green onions, diced
box of quick grits
any shredded cheese, we'll use sharp or jack
Directions:
Shrimp;
Toss the shrimp with 1/2 of the olive oil.
Coat with parika, pepper, & salt.
Heat the remaining oilve oil in a non-stick skillet on medium high heat.
Add shrimp, cook 1-2 minutes on ea side or just until they turn pink.
Grits;
Cook the grits accoring to directions, fold in the cheese, simple as that
Spoon a pile of grits on your plate, top with shrimp, a couple of shakes of Tabasco doesn't hurt, sprinkle on the green onions, you got yourself a great meal!
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
smoked parika (smoked is better than sweet hungarian paprika but it works too, smoked just gives it a better flavor)
fresh ground black pepper
coarse sea salt
4 green onions, diced
box of quick grits
any shredded cheese, we'll use sharp or jack
Directions:
Shrimp;
Toss the shrimp with 1/2 of the olive oil.
Coat with parika, pepper, & salt.
Heat the remaining oilve oil in a non-stick skillet on medium high heat.
Add shrimp, cook 1-2 minutes on ea side or just until they turn pink.
Grits;
Cook the grits accoring to directions, fold in the cheese, simple as that
Spoon a pile of grits on your plate, top with shrimp, a couple of shakes of Tabasco doesn't hurt, sprinkle on the green onions, you got yourself a great meal!
Chicken Piccata
A great little chicken dish that's quick and easy, we really like this one!
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half horizontally
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. minced shallot (we just use sweet onion)
1/4 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth (we use Kitchen Basics)
2 Tbs. capers, drained
2 Tbs. minced fresh or dried flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in it. Shake off the excess.
In the nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Place 2 pieces of chicken in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter or individual plates. Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in the pan and repeat to brown the remaining chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in the pan. Add the shallot and cook until softened and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter, the capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and pass any remaining sauce alongside.
Serve with a side of any type cooked pasta (we like very thin spaghetti) tossed with olive oil and a little butter, red pepper flakes, course ground black pepper, and Reggiano Parmigiano cheese. Top it off with some fresh cut Basil if you have it.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half horizontally
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. minced shallot (we just use sweet onion)
1/4 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth (we use Kitchen Basics)
2 Tbs. capers, drained
2 Tbs. minced fresh or dried flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in it. Shake off the excess.
In the nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Place 2 pieces of chicken in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter or individual plates. Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in the pan and repeat to brown the remaining chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in the pan. Add the shallot and cook until softened and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter, the capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and pass any remaining sauce alongside.
Serve with a side of any type cooked pasta (we like very thin spaghetti) tossed with olive oil and a little butter, red pepper flakes, course ground black pepper, and Reggiano Parmigiano cheese. Top it off with some fresh cut Basil if you have it.
Serves 4.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Honey and Cherry Chutney
I made this last week and served it with a pork roast.....excellent! It will be served with the Thanksgiving turkey also
1 can (14 1/2 oz) pitted tart cherries, undrained
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 chopped walnuts
1 T cornstarch
1 T water
In a small saucepan, bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
1 can (14 1/2 oz) pitted tart cherries, undrained
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 chopped walnuts
1 T cornstarch
1 T water
In a small saucepan, bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
TEX-MEX CHICKEN TACOS
These are great and easy to do!
INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cumin seed or powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice 1 fresh lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tequila (optional)
TACO TOPPPINGS
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 fresh jalapenos, sliced (don’t wimp out on this, they’re GOOD for you!)
2 large ripe red tomatoes, diced
1 large sweet onion cut into rings
1 – 2 tblsp cooking oil
1 small pkg Velveeta
a small can Rotel of your choice (if you like a mild queso, use the original)
1 package fresh flour tortillas from the bakery if you can get them, if your grocery doesn’t have fresh baked tortillas, get the freshest pack you can find on the shelf.
DIRECTIONS:
QUESO (this is women’s work, real men only grill!)
Cube the Velveeta into a corning ware bowl, add a can of Rotel, heat in the microwave until the cheese melts, stir until well blended, reheat as needed. It’s that simple Jan…………….
GRILLING THE CHICKEN & ONIONS: (this is a job for real men, real men grill, women don’t!)
Unless you have a heavy cast iron skillet, wrap two bricks in aluminum foil
Put the chicken in a baking dish. Generously season the breasts on all sides with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, and pour over the chicken turning to coat both sides. Sprinkle the tequila on top. Refrigerate for two hours.
If your grill has a separate burner, place the skillet on the burner and heat the cooking oil in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a separate burner, that’s OK, just place the skillet on the grates and heat, it just may take a little longer and burn more fuel!
Toss in the onion rings stirring occasionally until they just begin to burn on the edges and turn a nice golden brown color. Don’t use too much oil! If you’re using your burner, now turn your grill on high. Spoon the finished onions into a bowl, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside in a warm place until the chicken is ready.
After your grill temperature reaches at least 350, with a pair of tongs, generously coat them with cooking oil soaked in a paper towel.
Arrange the chicken breasts on the grate at a 45-degree angle to the bars. Set the skillet across all breast or place one brick on top of two breasts each and grill for 3 minutes. Flip the breasts, cover again with the bricks and continue grilling until cooked through and firm to the touch, another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let them rest fro 5 minutes then dice them into 1” chunks.
THE BEST PART, ASSEMBLE AND EAT!
Warm the tortillas, place one on a warmed plate, top with chicken, grilled onions, queso, jalapeño slices, and top with cilantro, fold them puppies over, eat, and enjoy!
We usually serve these with a side of any Tex-Mex, Spanish, or Saffron rice mix (don’t forget to put a little queso over your rice!), whatever you have in your pantry, and we also heat up a can of Ranch Beans. A GREAT meal! Don’t forget to wash it down with an icy cold beer!
INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cumin seed or powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice 1 fresh lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tequila (optional)
TACO TOPPPINGS
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 fresh jalapenos, sliced (don’t wimp out on this, they’re GOOD for you!)
2 large ripe red tomatoes, diced
1 large sweet onion cut into rings
1 – 2 tblsp cooking oil
1 small pkg Velveeta
a small can Rotel of your choice (if you like a mild queso, use the original)
1 package fresh flour tortillas from the bakery if you can get them, if your grocery doesn’t have fresh baked tortillas, get the freshest pack you can find on the shelf.
DIRECTIONS:
QUESO (this is women’s work, real men only grill!)
Cube the Velveeta into a corning ware bowl, add a can of Rotel, heat in the microwave until the cheese melts, stir until well blended, reheat as needed. It’s that simple Jan…………….
GRILLING THE CHICKEN & ONIONS: (this is a job for real men, real men grill, women don’t!)
Unless you have a heavy cast iron skillet, wrap two bricks in aluminum foil
Put the chicken in a baking dish. Generously season the breasts on all sides with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, and pour over the chicken turning to coat both sides. Sprinkle the tequila on top. Refrigerate for two hours.
If your grill has a separate burner, place the skillet on the burner and heat the cooking oil in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a separate burner, that’s OK, just place the skillet on the grates and heat, it just may take a little longer and burn more fuel!
Toss in the onion rings stirring occasionally until they just begin to burn on the edges and turn a nice golden brown color. Don’t use too much oil! If you’re using your burner, now turn your grill on high. Spoon the finished onions into a bowl, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside in a warm place until the chicken is ready.
After your grill temperature reaches at least 350, with a pair of tongs, generously coat them with cooking oil soaked in a paper towel.
Arrange the chicken breasts on the grate at a 45-degree angle to the bars. Set the skillet across all breast or place one brick on top of two breasts each and grill for 3 minutes. Flip the breasts, cover again with the bricks and continue grilling until cooked through and firm to the touch, another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let them rest fro 5 minutes then dice them into 1” chunks.
THE BEST PART, ASSEMBLE AND EAT!
Warm the tortillas, place one on a warmed plate, top with chicken, grilled onions, queso, jalapeño slices, and top with cilantro, fold them puppies over, eat, and enjoy!
We usually serve these with a side of any Tex-Mex, Spanish, or Saffron rice mix (don’t forget to put a little queso over your rice!), whatever you have in your pantry, and we also heat up a can of Ranch Beans. A GREAT meal! Don’t forget to wash it down with an icy cold beer!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Risotto with Asparagus and Prociutto
This makes a GREAT meal on a cold nite along with a good loaf of crusty rosemary bread and a good bottle of wine!
Risotto with Asparagus and Prociutto
Ingredients
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, course chopped
2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine (more for drinking!)
6 cups chicken stock (we only use Kitchen Basics brand)
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup fresh grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese (we buy blocks at Costco and grate it as we need it)
6 thin slices prosciutto cut into ¼ inch strips (it can be pricey, you can substitute any good ham)
1 tsp fresh basil
½ lb asparagus, shaved, cooked until tender, cut into ½ “ pieces sliced diagonally
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
In a risotto pan, heat the oil, add onion, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes
Add rice, stir to coat grains with oil, about 3 minutes
Add wine, stir until absorbed
Add 5 cups of chicken stock, cover and cook 12 min, according to manufacturer’s instructions
Remove lid and stir, add more stock if needed so rice is creamy
Stir in butter, cheese, prosciutto, basil, and asparagus
Season with salt and pepper
Spoon onto plates and top with Reggiano Parmigiano shavings
Enjoy!
Risotto with Asparagus and Prociutto
Ingredients
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, course chopped
2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine (more for drinking!)
6 cups chicken stock (we only use Kitchen Basics brand)
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup fresh grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese (we buy blocks at Costco and grate it as we need it)
6 thin slices prosciutto cut into ¼ inch strips (it can be pricey, you can substitute any good ham)
1 tsp fresh basil
½ lb asparagus, shaved, cooked until tender, cut into ½ “ pieces sliced diagonally
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
In a risotto pan, heat the oil, add onion, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes
Add rice, stir to coat grains with oil, about 3 minutes
Add wine, stir until absorbed
Add 5 cups of chicken stock, cover and cook 12 min, according to manufacturer’s instructions
Remove lid and stir, add more stock if needed so rice is creamy
Stir in butter, cheese, prosciutto, basil, and asparagus
Season with salt and pepper
Spoon onto plates and top with Reggiano Parmigiano shavings
Enjoy!
Grilled Chicken Under Bricks (Steven Raichlen)
This is a good chicken breast recipe that's quick and easy. Anything this guy does on a grill is good, if you haven't seen him, you can catch his shows on PBS. Bev made sides of Risotto and Brussel Sprouts topped with fresh Parmesan shavings.
Ingredients
2 large, whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces each) or 4 half breasts (each 6 to 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon Coarse Salt
1 teaspoon Cracked Black Peppercorns
1/2 t teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 bricks Each Wrapped in Aluminum Foil (I skipped the bricks, I laid a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the chicken breats and put a big heavy cast iron skillet on top of the foil, worked great)
Oak chunks for building the fire, or 2 cups wood chips (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained (the wood chips definitely gives it more flavor but, in a pinch, you can skip this as well)
Cooking Instructions
If using whole breasts, cut each in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse the breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the breasts on both sides with the salt, cracked black pepper, and hot red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the breasts with the garlic and rosemary, patting them on with your fingers. Arrange the breasts in a non-reactive baking dish. Pour the lemon juice and oil over them and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning several times.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In the best of all worlds, you’d build your fire with oak chunks. Alternatively, use gas or charcoal, plus soaked wood chips for smoke. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. If using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, all facing the same direction, at a 45 degree angle to the bars of the grate. Place a brick on top of each. Grill the breasts until cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side, rotating the breasts 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an attractive cross-hatch of the grill marks. To test for doneness, poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger. It should feel firm to the touch. Transfer the breasts to plates or a platter and serve at once.
Ingredients
2 large, whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 to 16 ounces each) or 4 half breasts (each 6 to 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon Coarse Salt
1 teaspoon Cracked Black Peppercorns
1/2 t teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 bricks Each Wrapped in Aluminum Foil (I skipped the bricks, I laid a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the chicken breats and put a big heavy cast iron skillet on top of the foil, worked great)
Oak chunks for building the fire, or 2 cups wood chips (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained (the wood chips definitely gives it more flavor but, in a pinch, you can skip this as well)
Cooking Instructions
If using whole breasts, cut each in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse the breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the breasts on both sides with the salt, cracked black pepper, and hot red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the breasts with the garlic and rosemary, patting them on with your fingers. Arrange the breasts in a non-reactive baking dish. Pour the lemon juice and oil over them and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning several times.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In the best of all worlds, you’d build your fire with oak chunks. Alternatively, use gas or charcoal, plus soaked wood chips for smoke. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. If using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, all facing the same direction, at a 45 degree angle to the bars of the grate. Place a brick on top of each. Grill the breasts until cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side, rotating the breasts 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an attractive cross-hatch of the grill marks. To test for doneness, poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger. It should feel firm to the touch. Transfer the breasts to plates or a platter and serve at once.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze
As of Sept 14, our Costco here in Houston was carrying fresh wild Alaska Koho Salmon at a real good price! We stay away from the farm raised Atlantic Salmon, too many antibiotics and they just taste fishy, good fresh wild Salmon from Alaska should never have a smell to it and it just tastes better.
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 7 minutes
Easy Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves (minced, see below)
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (we use fresh but dried works OK too)
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves (dried works fine)
1 tablespoon dry white wine (any white wine will do as long as it’s not a sweet white, make sure you drink the rest, preferably most of it while you’re cooking!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (we use the Tasbasco brand course ground mustard fgor a little xtra kick!)
vegetable oil for the grill
6 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets
course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 lemon wedges (whatever)
Directions
In a mini food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, wine, oil, Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard. Grind the mustard sauce until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard to the sauce and stir to combine (if you mince the garlic, you can just whisk it all in a bowl and you don't to do the food processor thing, works just as well). Set mustard sauce aside.
I do the Salmon on my grill on high heat (make sure you oil your grates real good), grill for 2-3 minutes, then spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer, they should lift right off the grill grate.
Transfer the fillets to plates and serve with lemon wedges.
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 7 minutes
Easy Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves (minced, see below)
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (we use fresh but dried works OK too)
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves (dried works fine)
1 tablespoon dry white wine (any white wine will do as long as it’s not a sweet white, make sure you drink the rest, preferably most of it while you’re cooking!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (we use the Tasbasco brand course ground mustard fgor a little xtra kick!)
vegetable oil for the grill
6 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets
course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 lemon wedges (whatever)
Directions
In a mini food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, wine, oil, Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard. Grind the mustard sauce until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard to the sauce and stir to combine (if you mince the garlic, you can just whisk it all in a bowl and you don't to do the food processor thing, works just as well). Set mustard sauce aside.
I do the Salmon on my grill on high heat (make sure you oil your grates real good), grill for 2-3 minutes, then spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer, they should lift right off the grill grate.
Transfer the fillets to plates and serve with lemon wedges.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Feel Free to share.........
If you were invited, you can post. Everyone who got an invite is an author. I can't tell you exactly what you need to do to post, but come on....you're educated individuals...you should be able to figure it out.
Share some recipes!
Share some recipes!
Tomato and Pepper Lasagna
This is a great recipe (and no Turkey!) This is made in an 11 x 7 baking dish, but I think it could be doubled and made in a bigger dish. Again, it's Weight Watchers, but doesn't really taste "diet."
24 ounce marinara sauce, store bought
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, fire-roasted, drained
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute (we've used one real egg)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
6 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, water packed, cut into thin strips
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine marinara sauce and tomatoes; set over low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
In a large bowl combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Stir to combine. Stir in egg substitute (or one egg) salt, pepper and oregano.
Spoon 1 cup of sauce in bottom of 11 x 7 baking dish. Arrange 2 noodles over the sauce. Spread half of cheese mixture over noodles; top with pepper strips. Place two more noodles on top; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce; place remaining two noodles on top. Spoon remaining sauce over top.
Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. Slice into pieces and serve.
Eli has had this and pronounced it good...Jan and I have had it several times and pronounce it terrific!
Enjoy!
24 ounce marinara sauce, store bought
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, fire-roasted, drained
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute (we've used one real egg)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
6 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, water packed, cut into thin strips
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine marinara sauce and tomatoes; set over low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
In a large bowl combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Stir to combine. Stir in egg substitute (or one egg) salt, pepper and oregano.
Spoon 1 cup of sauce in bottom of 11 x 7 baking dish. Arrange 2 noodles over the sauce. Spread half of cheese mixture over noodles; top with pepper strips. Place two more noodles on top; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce; place remaining two noodles on top. Spoon remaining sauce over top.
Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. Slice into pieces and serve.
Eli has had this and pronounced it good...Jan and I have had it several times and pronounce it terrific!
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Turkey Enchilada Pie
Jan and I had Turkey Enchilada Pie this evening and decided it was worth sharing! We used lean ground turkey, but the recipe says you can use ground beef.
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
1 small can of chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 large burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
3 cups tomatoes chopped
10 Tbsp low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place on medium heat. Brown the turkey with onions and chili powder. Remove browned turkey from skillet and set aside.
Make a paste with the flour and some of the milk. Heat the rest of the milk and the paste in the skillet over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the turkey, chillies and cumin.
Place one tortilla in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Spread 1/3 of the turkey over the tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of the tomatoes on top and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients ending up with 2 tablespoons of cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Let stand covered for a couple of minutes before cutting into six wedges.
This is another Weight Watchers meal and with a value of four points. Jan and I didn't use the burrito-size tortillas. We used regular fat-free flour tortillas. We used canned diced tomatoes - 2 cans are about three cups. We served it with chopped lettuce, salsa and sour cream (fat free of course!)
It really was delicious and I'll be having it for lunch tomorrow!
Enjoy
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
1 small can of chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 large burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
3 cups tomatoes chopped
10 Tbsp low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place on medium heat. Brown the turkey with onions and chili powder. Remove browned turkey from skillet and set aside.
Make a paste with the flour and some of the milk. Heat the rest of the milk and the paste in the skillet over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the turkey, chillies and cumin.
Place one tortilla in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Spread 1/3 of the turkey over the tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of the tomatoes on top and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients ending up with 2 tablespoons of cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Let stand covered for a couple of minutes before cutting into six wedges.
This is another Weight Watchers meal and with a value of four points. Jan and I didn't use the burrito-size tortillas. We used regular fat-free flour tortillas. We used canned diced tomatoes - 2 cans are about three cups. We served it with chopped lettuce, salsa and sour cream (fat free of course!)
It really was delicious and I'll be having it for lunch tomorrow!
Enjoy
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Baked Turkey and Jack Cheese Chimichangas
Rated a five star recipe in the Lovell house.....we've served this to friends and family to rave reviews. One of our favorites:
2 sprays cooking spray
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
16 oz. fat-free canned refried beans
1 3/4 cups salsa
4 1/2 oz. canned green chili peppers, mild, drained and diced
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese
8 larg burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Pre-heat oven to 350. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Coat a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Brown Turkey in the skillet. Drain any excess liquid from pan and then add beans, 1 3/4 cups salsa, chili peppers, chili powder and scallions. Cook until heated through. Stir in cheese.
Assemble chimichangas by spooning about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture onto each tortilla. fold in sides and roll up.
Place chimichangas, seam-side down, in baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until tortillas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve each topped with 2 Tablespoons of salsa and 1 Tablespoon of sour cream.
This is 8 servings at 5 points per serving
ENJOY!
2 sprays cooking spray
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
16 oz. fat-free canned refried beans
1 3/4 cups salsa
4 1/2 oz. canned green chili peppers, mild, drained and diced
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese
8 larg burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Pre-heat oven to 350. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Coat a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Brown Turkey in the skillet. Drain any excess liquid from pan and then add beans, 1 3/4 cups salsa, chili peppers, chili powder and scallions. Cook until heated through. Stir in cheese.
Assemble chimichangas by spooning about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture onto each tortilla. fold in sides and roll up.
Place chimichangas, seam-side down, in baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until tortillas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve each topped with 2 Tablespoons of salsa and 1 Tablespoon of sour cream.
This is 8 servings at 5 points per serving
ENJOY!
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