Garlic Chicken
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts, skinned
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 heads garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp dried thyme
In plastic bag, combine flour and half of the pepper; add chicken and shake to coat. In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat; brown chicken. Transfer to plate.
Add garlic and any remaining flour to pan, cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock, apple juice, thyme and remaining pepper; bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan; cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until no longer pink inside and garlic is very tender.
We like to serve this with mashed potatoes. It is fast and delicious.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Kangaroos
2 tbsp buttermilk
Crust:
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
Pizza Filling:
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup of pizza sauce
1 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of salt
1 cup shredded (skim milk) mozzarella cheese
Pizza Filling: In nonstick skillet, brown beef over medium heat, breaking up meat with spoon, about 3 minutes. Drain off fat; stir in pizza sauce, oregano, pepper and salt. Let cool.
Crust: In measure, combine yeast with 1 tbsp warm water; let stand for 10 minutes. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in yeast mixture and buttermilk. On floured surface, knead just until dough holds together; divide into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece into 6 inch circle.
Place 2 heaping tbsp of filling on half of each circle of dough. Sprinkle 2 tbsp mozzarella over each mound of filling. Moisten edges of dough with water; fold dough over to make half moon shapes, sealing edges firmly with fork or fluting edges decoratively. Brush tops with buttermilk. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes r until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.
Variations:
Curry Filling: In nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown 1/2 pound ground turkey for 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each diced onion, diced potato and frozen peas, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium low; cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in 2 tbsp chutney. Let cool.
Crust:
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
Pizza Filling:
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup of pizza sauce
1 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of salt
1 cup shredded (skim milk) mozzarella cheese
Pizza Filling: In nonstick skillet, brown beef over medium heat, breaking up meat with spoon, about 3 minutes. Drain off fat; stir in pizza sauce, oregano, pepper and salt. Let cool.
Crust: In measure, combine yeast with 1 tbsp warm water; let stand for 10 minutes. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in yeast mixture and buttermilk. On floured surface, knead just until dough holds together; divide into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece into 6 inch circle.
Place 2 heaping tbsp of filling on half of each circle of dough. Sprinkle 2 tbsp mozzarella over each mound of filling. Moisten edges of dough with water; fold dough over to make half moon shapes, sealing edges firmly with fork or fluting edges decoratively. Brush tops with buttermilk. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes r until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.
Variations:
Curry Filling: In nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown 1/2 pound ground turkey for 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each diced onion, diced potato and frozen peas, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium low; cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in 2 tbsp chutney. Let cool.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
It snowed, time for soup.
Tortellini Soup
1 pound of mild Italian sausage (or hamburger)
5 cups of beef broth
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp of garlic powder
1 cup water
2 cups of tomatoes
1 cup sliced or diced carrots
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp of oregano
14 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups of zucchini
2 cups of tortellini (meat or cheese)
2 tsp parsley
1 green pepper chopped
Brown meat; add onion and garlic, drain fat off. Add broth and rest of ingredients except for tortellini. When vegetables firm but almost done add tortellini and finish cooking.
I often use a 28 ounce can of tomatoes for the 2 cups of tomatoes called for in recipe
Bread Sticks
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
(mix yeast with flour)
Knead it, divide into 3, form a rectangle, 6 x 6, 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a pizza cutter. Do this 3 times. Put on cookie sheet. Melt butter, paint sticks or dip in butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. You can let them rise a bit before you cook them if you want to.
1 pound of mild Italian sausage (or hamburger)
5 cups of beef broth
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp of garlic powder
1 cup water
2 cups of tomatoes
1 cup sliced or diced carrots
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp of oregano
14 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups of zucchini
2 cups of tortellini (meat or cheese)
2 tsp parsley
1 green pepper chopped
Brown meat; add onion and garlic, drain fat off. Add broth and rest of ingredients except for tortellini. When vegetables firm but almost done add tortellini and finish cooking.
I often use a 28 ounce can of tomatoes for the 2 cups of tomatoes called for in recipe
Bread Sticks
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
(mix yeast with flour)
Knead it, divide into 3, form a rectangle, 6 x 6, 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a pizza cutter. Do this 3 times. Put on cookie sheet. Melt butter, paint sticks or dip in butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. You can let them rise a bit before you cook them if you want to.
Halloween apples!
9 large apples
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 can (300ml) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
Remove stems from apples, if desired. Insert wooden stir stick or chopstick into stem end of each.
In a 12 cup heavy bottomed saucepan, melt together granulated and brown sugars, butter, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt, stirring. Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring and making sure to stir around bottom edge of pot to prevent caramel from scorching.
Reduce heat to medium low; boil, stirring often, for 18 to 20 minutes or until thickened, deep caramel colour and 1 tsp dropped into cold water forms soft pliable ball (234-236 degrees F/112-113 degrees C on candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil: grease foil and set aside.
Holding apple by stick, swirl all but top of each apple in caramel, allowing excess to drip back into saucepan. Roll bottom half in nuts if desired. Place on prepared baking sheet; refrigerate until caramel is set, about 15 minutes. Can drizzle melted chocolate over apple if desired. Refrigerate until firm.
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 can (300ml) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
Remove stems from apples, if desired. Insert wooden stir stick or chopstick into stem end of each.
In a 12 cup heavy bottomed saucepan, melt together granulated and brown sugars, butter, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt, stirring. Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring and making sure to stir around bottom edge of pot to prevent caramel from scorching.
Reduce heat to medium low; boil, stirring often, for 18 to 20 minutes or until thickened, deep caramel colour and 1 tsp dropped into cold water forms soft pliable ball (234-236 degrees F/112-113 degrees C on candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil: grease foil and set aside.
Holding apple by stick, swirl all but top of each apple in caramel, allowing excess to drip back into saucepan. Roll bottom half in nuts if desired. Place on prepared baking sheet; refrigerate until caramel is set, about 15 minutes. Can drizzle melted chocolate over apple if desired. Refrigerate until firm.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
D wants banana cream pie
Banana Cream Pie (who doesn't love it?)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups of milk
4 eggs
1 tbsp butter (or more)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
baked pie shell
For filling, in medium sauce pan combine sugar and flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue (If you are going to do meringue, I prefer whipped cream on top of my pie.You could use them to make pavlova the next day.)
Beat yolks lightly with a fork. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks. I use my electric hand mixer to beat the yolks as well as when I am adding the 1 cup hot filling into the yolks and again when adding it all to sauce pan. I will often use 3 whole eggs instead of separating them if I don't want egg whites sitting in my fridge for eons. Using the electric hand mixer will insure that the egg gets beat will enough before and after adding it to the pan. We don't want bits of cooked egg floating around in the pudding. Perhaps for the first time just use the yolks. Return all to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. I let my filling cool, put plastic wrap over it so it does not form a hard layer and put in fridge. When fairly cool, so as not to melt whipped cream, I whip some cream and fold into the pudding. Put bananas on bottom of pie shell and cover with pudding mixture. Cover with plastic wrap again. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and spoon a generous helping of whipped cream on top (the generous is for you D) or put whipped cream on each piece as served.
How about a twist to banana cream pie?
Banana Praline Cream Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light cream
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract
2 cups slices ripe bananas (2 large)
baked pie shell
In a medium saucepan, mix the sugars, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in the cream and milk until smooth. Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl with an electric beater on high, beat egg yolks until light yellow. Stir about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then return this mixture into the saucepan. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil). Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla and banana extract. Cool for 15 minutes.
Spoon half of the filling into the baked shell. Cover with the banana slices, then the remaining filling. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on filling. Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours or until set. Whipped cream again!
While we are on the subject of pies:
Chocolate Silk Pie
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cups cornstarch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup light cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (microwave choc. in its paper wrapper on high for 1 to 2 minutes until it's glossy and almost melted. Then scrape into a bowl and stir until it is completely melted. Or heat choc. in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted. If choc. gets too hot, or just a drop of water gets into the pan, choc. can clump up into a grainy mess, called seizing. Rescue it by stirring in a tsp of butter.)
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the egg yolks until light yellow and thick. Stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil). Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into the baked shell. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Let stand while you make the meringue, if you want meringue.
Meringue topping
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup of sugar
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer on high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar until the meringue stands in glossy soft peaks. To attach the meringue, lightly score the filling with the prongs of a fork. Cover the hot filling with the meringue, sealing it well at the edges. Make peaks with the back of a spoon as you go. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until browned. Cool for 15 minutes. To set, chill for at least 4 hours. Store in the refrigerator. Or use whipped cream....
It's delicious!
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups of milk
4 eggs
1 tbsp butter (or more)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
baked pie shell
For filling, in medium sauce pan combine sugar and flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue (If you are going to do meringue, I prefer whipped cream on top of my pie.You could use them to make pavlova the next day.)
Beat yolks lightly with a fork. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks. I use my electric hand mixer to beat the yolks as well as when I am adding the 1 cup hot filling into the yolks and again when adding it all to sauce pan. I will often use 3 whole eggs instead of separating them if I don't want egg whites sitting in my fridge for eons. Using the electric hand mixer will insure that the egg gets beat will enough before and after adding it to the pan. We don't want bits of cooked egg floating around in the pudding. Perhaps for the first time just use the yolks. Return all to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. I let my filling cool, put plastic wrap over it so it does not form a hard layer and put in fridge. When fairly cool, so as not to melt whipped cream, I whip some cream and fold into the pudding. Put bananas on bottom of pie shell and cover with pudding mixture. Cover with plastic wrap again. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and spoon a generous helping of whipped cream on top (the generous is for you D) or put whipped cream on each piece as served.
How about a twist to banana cream pie?
Banana Praline Cream Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light cream
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract
2 cups slices ripe bananas (2 large)
baked pie shell
In a medium saucepan, mix the sugars, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in the cream and milk until smooth. Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl with an electric beater on high, beat egg yolks until light yellow. Stir about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then return this mixture into the saucepan. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil). Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla and banana extract. Cool for 15 minutes.
Spoon half of the filling into the baked shell. Cover with the banana slices, then the remaining filling. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on filling. Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours or until set. Whipped cream again!
While we are on the subject of pies:
Chocolate Silk Pie
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cups cornstarch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup light cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (microwave choc. in its paper wrapper on high for 1 to 2 minutes until it's glossy and almost melted. Then scrape into a bowl and stir until it is completely melted. Or heat choc. in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted. If choc. gets too hot, or just a drop of water gets into the pan, choc. can clump up into a grainy mess, called seizing. Rescue it by stirring in a tsp of butter.)
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Whisk constantly over medium heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the egg yolks until light yellow and thick. Stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened (do not let boil). Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into the baked shell. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Let stand while you make the meringue, if you want meringue.
Meringue topping
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup of sugar
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer on high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar until the meringue stands in glossy soft peaks. To attach the meringue, lightly score the filling with the prongs of a fork. Cover the hot filling with the meringue, sealing it well at the edges. Make peaks with the back of a spoon as you go. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until browned. Cool for 15 minutes. To set, chill for at least 4 hours. Store in the refrigerator. Or use whipped cream....
It's delicious!
Mmmm!
Pork Chops Parmesan
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp crumbled dried sage
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
4 boneless pork loin chops (1 lb)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup pasta sauce
4 slices light provolone or part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 oz) (I used a combo of spiced Gouda, fresh from a BC dairy farm, mozzarella, and fontina)
In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs with parmesan cheese. In separate shallow dish, whisk egg. In third shallow dish, whisk together flour, sage, salt and peper.
Press each pork chop into flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off any excess. Dip chop into egg, turning to coat and letting any excess drip back into dish. Press into bread-crumb mixture, turning to coat well.
Brush oil in nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Fry chops until golden and just a hint of pink remains inside, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to 8 inch square glass baking dish.
Spread pasta sauce over chops; cover with cheese slices. Bake in 400 degree F oven until bubbly and golden, about 10 minutes.
This was made more delicious by using a homemade marinara sauce rather than the pasta sauce, provided by one of my lovely daughters, J. About a month ago my daughters surprised me with a birthday visit, all coming from afar. We visited, relaxed at a spa, played games and had a pizza feast. J showed us all her mad pizza skills by cooking up as many pizza's as we could consume. So, for all of you here is the recipe for the marinara sauce. Mmmmm!
Marinara Pizza Sauce
1 can (28 ounces) of crushed tomatoes (yes, use crushed tomatoes or else you will have soupy pizza)
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (get it if you don't have it, it makes a difference)
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp granulated garlic powder or 10 cloves fresh minced and lightly sauteed in olive oil. (for all you garlic lovers out there we know what we will do)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (could use freshly squeezed lemon juice or a combination)
1 1/2 tsp salt
If you want to go spicy add red crushed pepper flakes or cayenne. Tastes great as a dip for bread sticks.
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