Curried Chicken Breasts

I made this dinner for a friend and didn't get a photo of the real deal...but here is a photo of my taste test minus the bacon topping.  This is such a fun unique dish to make and serve.

Curried Chicken Breasts

2 Tablespoons of butter
 1 1/2 teaspoons of yellow curry powder
1 chopped Granny Smith apple
1 chopped yellow onion 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (10oz) can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of half-and-half cream
black pepper and basil to taste

Saute' apple, onion and curry powder in butter on the stove in a frying pan.  Add soup from the can and cream.  Salt to taste.  In a glass baking dish (9 x 13) lay cleaned chicken pieces in one layer. Pour the sauce on top.  Bake uncovered at 325 for 1 1/2 hours.  Serve over rice and top with the following:

Condiments
cooked bacon
green onions
coconut
cashews
raisins

Not so Typical Macaroni Salad

With an abundance of fresh yellow, orange and red peppers try this wonderful macaroni salad tonight.
Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked small macaroni
2 stalks of celery
1/2 finely chopped yellow or white onion
1/2 of a yellow, orange and red pepper
1/4 cup of grated carrots
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/8 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard
salt to taste

Directions:
Bring as large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the macaroni, cook until tender no more then 8 minutes.  Drain, rinse and run under cold water.

In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt.  Stir in the vegetables and macaroni.  Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.  This salad gets better with time.  We love it on day two and three the best.

Garden Fresh Hearty Minestrone

I used the stock from last night's Pepper Steak for the base of tonight's soup. I picked carrots, green bean and yellow beans from my fall garden and added a can of petite tomatoes, a can of white kidney beans, two cans of beef broth and two handfuls of small Macaroni noodles and a half package of frozen chopped spinach to create this hearty delicious soup. This is one of my best recipes for soup. Enjoy!

Pepper Steak

I use four peppers to season this steak:  Orange, Red, Yellow and Black.  I started with a two and a half pound Round Steak, cut into serving pieces, dredged in flour.  I placed coarsely chopped celery and onion in the bottom of  my crock pot.  I then placed the dredged steak on top of the raw celery and onions and topped the steak with coarsely chopped orange, red and yellow peppers.  I added a can of Italian stewed tomatoes and black pepper to taste.  I slow cooked the meat for five hours.  It was delicious served with mashed potatoes.  Tomorrow the left overs will be the stock for a delicious soup.

Pan Fried Smelt

Tonight's dinner came all the way from Peru but it tasted just like the fresh Michigan Smelt I had in my youth.  If you have never had a smelt I highly recommend you try them.  These little delights were on sale at Save Mart Grocery Store for $2.99 a pound.  A pound will serve three people very nicely allowing each person to enjoy about a dozen fish. 

I word to the wise ~ make your entire dinner, all the accompaniments, before you begin pan frying the fish because each batch of twelve takes only three minutes to cook.

Here is how you prepare smelt for pan frying.  First wash each fish, removing the head (if it's still attached) and trim the tail and any fins left of the fish.  I also remove the major spine from the majority of the fish's tiny ( 3 to 4 inch) body. Next, pat the fish with a paper towel to dry them, then shake a dozen at a time in a small paper bag with a cup of white flour.  Place the fish in a single layer on a paper plate and salt and pepper them.  Next, place the fish in just enough hot oil to fry them.  The fish shouldn't be swimming in the oil, at last 1/3 of the fish should be out of the oil with the bottom 2/3's cooking in the oil. Cook for two minutes NO LONGER, then turn the fish over and continue cooking for ONE MINUTE.  So they cook for a total of THREE minutes only. Last place the fish on a paper plate with several layers of paper towels beneath the fish to soak up any excess oil. Serve them immediately.  No sauce required.  Let me know what you think?  My family loves them.

Fruit and Spinach Rolled Pork Loin

This recipe has a few steps and a little more prep time then my usual recipes but it's well worth the effort.  This would be a great main meat to serve guests.  Begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.
1.  PORK  Place a 3 to 4 pound pork loin on a cutting board and make a 3/4 to one inch cut down the length of the loin. Spread the pork open (butterfly) and make a second cut 3/4 to one inch along the previous cut.  Do this a third time until the loin is layed out in a large rectangle.  Cover the meat with a sheet of wax paper and pound it with a meat mallet.
2.  FILLING Dice a 1/2 cup of onion and saute it in two tablespoons of butter, add 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 package of chopped frozen spinach.  Add a splash of your favorite flavored dipping oil (for beef and pork, I like Rosemary with Roasted Garlic Dipping Oil) and simmer on low for 15 minutes until the flavors are well blended.
3.  RUB  Season the outside of the pork loin with Johnny's and pepper.  Mix 1/3 cup of Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves and little olive oil to make a paste you'll rub on the outside of the rolled pork loin.
4.  ASSEMBLE  Spread the filling evenly over the flattened pork to 3/4 inch from all edges.  Roll it up tight jelly-roll style and place it seam down in a 13 x 9 baking dish. (Some folks like to tie the pork loin with string, but I haven't had a problem with them coming undone)  Bake the pork loin for 60 minutes and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

You can make and assemble this hours in advance and simply place it in the oven when guests arrive or approximately one hour and ten minutes before you wish to eat. 

Pastrami Panini & Chicken Chili

If you like a Reuben you will love a Pastrami Panini.  Here is how I make mine:

1. Butter the outside top and bottom of a hamburger bun.
2. Next, place thousand island dressing on the inside of the top and bottom bun.
3. On the bottom bun, place sliced Swiss Cheese, pile on thin deli sliced Pastrami and top with sauerkraut. 
4. I add several thin slices of Swiss Cheese to the top bun also.  Place the two bun halves together.
5. Next, grill the sandwich just as you would a grilled cheese sandwich.  I pressed down on the sandwich as it's cooking to flatten the bun and smush the flavors together.

I used last night's leftover Chicken Cacciatore as the base for tonight Chicken Chili.  Here is how I made this easy and delicious soup.

1. Pick the bones and any loose chicken skin out of the leftover Chicken Cacciatore.
2. Saute a stalk of celery and some onions in a small amount of butter.
3. Add the leftover Chicken Cacciatore and about a cup of water to the sauteed celery and onions in a stock pot.
4. Open and add a can of Chili Beans (I like S&W's pinto beans with chili peppers, onion, garlic and a zesty tomato sauce). Also open, drain, rinse and add a can of dark red kidney beans.
5. Simmer all the above ingredients until heated.  Serve with the panini.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

I am totally serious ~ two ingredients and you have a wonderful, flavorful Chicken Cacciatore.
1.  Wash, dry and place chicken in a greased crock pot.  I used two leg/thigh combo pieces.
2.  Open a can of Italian Stewed tomatoes and pour over the chicken.
Cook on low for five hours.  We enjoyed the delicious flavors over mashed potatoes.  Enjoy!

Major Grey's Chutney Chicken

I'm going to share a little secret with you today.  If your family is like mine, they say they don't like the texture of crock pot chicken, it's too soft.  So this is what I do .... I cook the whole chicken in the crock pot and just before serving I cut the chicken (legs & thigh, breast & wing)  into serving pieces and spread a favorite topping ( chutney, barbecue sauce)  and place it under the broiler for five minutes to brown.  They love it!  It crisps right up, has lots of flavor and is tender and moist from the slow cooking.  Remember it's our little secret.   Dazzle your family and enjoy!

Barbecued Trout

Place two nice sized trout in a shallow pan (13 x 9); pour on the following marinade.

Marinade for Fish
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry or my favorite to use White Zin
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 crushed clove of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Let the fish marinate for one hour, turning once.  Save the marinade for basting during barbecuing.  Tuck a good amount of fresh parsley in the cavity.   Place on a hot grill open faced on several layers of foil. Baste with marinade.  Cook for ten minutes then place several layers of foil over the top of the fish and crimp the edges so you can flip (or turn ) the fish.  Once flipped, remove the top layer of foil and baste with the marinade.  Cook for an additional five to ten minutes based on the size of the fish.

Crab & Corn Chowder

1 14 oz can of chicken broth
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup shopped onion
1/2 sliced carrot
1  14.75 oz can of cream-style corn
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dash of bottled hot pepper sauce
12 oz. cooked crab meat

In a medium saucepan, combine broth, celery, onion and carrot.  Bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Set aside; cool slightly.

Place in a blender or food processor, cover and blend until smooth.  Return mixture to saucepan.  Stir in corn, milk, parsley, pepper and hot pepper sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in crab meat; heat through.

I like to serve this with some crusty bread and butter.  Tonight I also added a side BLT wedge salad.

Cavatzone ~ Vintage Italy

 

Today was going to be a busy day with family coming and going at different times.  I decided to make an old favorite, Cavatzone.  It's very good warm but you can also eat it cold.  I had it for dinner but it also makes a great light lunch, snack or even breakfast item.  I'm going to share my basic recipe; feel free to add favorites like green chilies, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts.. whatever you like.

1 lb. ground lean pork
1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Mayonnaise Biscuit Dough (below)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook pork and onion over low heat until no longer pink.  Do not brown.  Cool.
Mix the rest of the ingredients.   Make Mayonnaise biscuit Dough, spread half of it in well greased sq. pan 8x8x2.  Spread meat mixture over dough.  With fingers, spread the rest of the dough over mixture.  Brush with a beaten egg yolk to give it a crusty glaze.  Bake 25 minutes. 
Cut and serve hot or cold.

Mayonnaise Biscuit Dough:  Add 2/3 cup of milk and 1/4 cup mayonnaise to 2 cups Bisquick.
 Mix well with a fork.

Oven Baked Ribs

It has been awhile since my last post.  I don't want to repeat recipes so hopefully my oven baked ribs is a new creation for you to try.  As always, this is a simple easy to make recipe.

Line a cookie sheet with foil, place ribs on foil, sprinkle with Johnny's seasoning, add 1/3 cup of water and seal with a second layer of foil. 

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Remove top layer of foil, add your favorite bar-b-que sauce and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

I baked some corn muffins along with the ribs that last 20 minutes.  I also tossed a chopped salad and added a side of corn to complete the meal.  This is a great summer dinner to enjoy on the picnic table.

Swiss Steak

Swiss steak is an old family favorite. I season the round steak with salt and pepper and dredge it in flour to keep the meat juicy. I placed a chopped onion in the bottom of the crock pot and topped it with the seasoned beef. Then I added a can of diced tomatoes and a shake of Italian Seasoning. The meat cooked on high for four to five hours.

Boil and mash some potatoes and steam some garden fresh green beans and you have a delicious meal.

BBQ Pork Chops

I haven't posted in quite awhile.  These picture perfect pork chops were so good I thought I would share the idea with you all.  I seasoned them with Jonny's and pepper and dredged them in flour and put them on a hot grill.  About 30 minutes later, after they were good and browned, I added some BBQ sauce.  Quick, easy and very good.

Tri-Tip Salad

Some like it sliced ~ some like it chopped. 

Either way it is a delicious, quick, and economical meal. 

Try topping a salad with left over chicken, shrimp, steak or pork.

My family just raved about tonight's dinner.  I loved the ease with which it was prepared!  Enjoy

Clam Sauce

You'll like this easy recipe. 

1. Boil a pot of water.  Add olive oil and pasta.  Cook for ten minutes.
2. at the same time as step 1 ~ open a jar of Cheesy Alfredo Sauce ( I like Ragu) and two can of clams.  Heat on medium while the pasta boils.
3. Drain the pasta, dish it up, add some sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

I like to make a tasty salad with bacon, egg and cheese to serve with the white clam sauce.

Steak Ka-Bob  ~ my family was asking for steak but you know me....I want to stay within my food budget so I decided to make ka-bobs.  They were delicious and they satisfied our red meat craving!
I made these with red, and green peppers and zucchini.  I also baked my favorite frozen breaded shrimp and made a cottage cheese and pear salad.  Dinner was ready in 20 minutes and it was oh so good.

 

Pan Fried Red Snapper

Fish in a Flash ~ I like to coat the fish (in this case Red Snapper) with a light coating of flour, season salt, yellow curry and black pepper.  Then I pan fry the fish in olive oil.  Quick and easy. 

Now if it were that easy to get rid of the fish smell I'd be a happy chief!



Easy Baby Back Ribs





Hello Gentle Chiefs ~
Here is a quick easy recipe for those of you who have not tired to bake baby back ribs.  Simply place the ribs and 1/2 cup of water per pound of meat in a Parchment paper pouch and slowly bake at 300 degrees for several hours.  Then about 30 minutes prior to eating, uncover the ribs,  pour on your favorite BBQ Sauce and turn up the heat to about 350 degrees.  Oh so good!

Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp

These are frozen, breaded, butterflied jumbo shrimp packaged by SeaPak.  They are delicious! They go from the freezer to the oven and are ready to eat in about 14 minutes.  They taste restaurant quality and are a bit hit with my family.  

I like to have frozen fish and shrimp in the freezer for a quick dinner on a busy day.

Mexican American Taco Soup

This soup is a great change from chili.  It has a few more ingredients and a lot more flavor.

3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 can pinto beans with chili sauce
1 can Mexican tomatoes w/green chilies
1/2 can corn drained
1/2 can black olives
1/2 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 pkg. Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
1 can Condensed Tomato Soup
3/4 to 1 cup of water

1.  Brown beef and onions.  Drain fat from meat and add the meat to a stockpot.
2.  Add pinto beans, Mexican tomatoes, corn, black olives, taco seasoning mix and ranch dressing mix to the stockpot.
3.  Simmer over low heat for one hour.
4.  Top with sour cream, cheese and onions.

Makes four good sized servings.

Stuffed Green Peppers

This seems like quite a few steps but they are quick and easy and well worth the effort.  I did use both yellow and green peppers and we all liked the green the best.  I made six half peppers with 3/4 lb. of ground beef.

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  cut the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds.  Slice the peppers in half and place them in the boiling water for 5 minutes.

2.  In a large skillet, saute 3/4 lb. of beef and 1/4 cup of chopped onion until beef is browned.  Drain off the fat and season with salt and pepper.  Stir in one can of diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of uncooked rice, a good splash of Worchesterhire Sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine a can of condensed tomato soup and just enough water to make the soup the consistency of gravy.   Pour over the peppers.

4.  Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.  I topped each pepper with a little cheese before serving.

Zesty Lemon Chicken

Cut two large chicken breasts into medallions and marinate for 30 minutes in soy sauce, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and spicy mustard.  Place the chicken and marinate in a fry pan, cover and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes until chicken is done.  In the meanwhile steam some rice and veggies and you have a very tasty dinner.

A typical Lemon Chicken recipe calls for a light batter but I was talking to a friend and got to thinking, we really don't need the added flour and oil.  Thanks Deb.  Here's to healthy eating!

Leftover Corned Beef

The Corned Beef, carrots, potatoes and rutabagas were reheated in a covered fry pan in about 15 minutes on my stove top.  I think I'll make Corned Beef more often.  It was delicious.

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner

Happy St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Ingredients:
1 corned beef brisket, about 4 pounds
1 small bay leaf
6 peppercorns
2 to 3 rutabagas, cut in chunks
8 to 10 carrots, cut in chunks
3 small whole onions, peeled
6 medium red potatoes, peeled sliced in half
1 medium head of cabbage, cut in wedges

Preparation:
Place meat in a deep stock pot or kettle; cover with water.  Add bay leaf and peppercorn.  Bring to a boil; skim off foam.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours.  Add vegetables; simmer for about 45 minutes longer, or until vegetables and meat are tender.

Serves 8

Crock Pot Pork

Last night I chopped a stalk of celery and added it to an oiled crock pot.  I placed a seasoned 2.5 pound pork sirloin roast ($5.27) on top of the celery and added a handful of new potatoes.  The roast cooked on high for four to five hours.  My family loved it. It was tender and moist and the left overs will make a great meal for tonight.

Pan Seared Steak

Ready for a quick dinner?  Season and sear your favorit cut of Black Angus Beef.  I made a quick pan fried brown rice and steamed some fresh vegetables.  Dinner was ready in 25 minutes.

Red & Green Pepper Chicken

Tonight’s dinner slow cooked in the crock pot all afternoon.  I combined one green pepper, one red pepper, two large chicken breasts and a small can of crushed pineapple.  Just before dinner, I steamed some white rice and made a broccoli, bacon, cheddar cheese and green salad.

This basic meal can satisfy many different tastes.  You can serve the chicken:

·         With curry and Pita Bread

·         With salsa and a tortilla

·         With sweet and sour sauce and an egg roll

·         With a buttermilk biscuit and gravy

·         With a pasta and sauce

Get creative and give it a try.  Let us know what you did.

15 Minute Chicken Dinner

Last night's leftover chicken breast sliced and steamed on top of a head of cauliflower, a can of diced tomatoes, seasoning and cheese! 

Wham ~ dinner in less then fifteen minutes!

Baked Acorn Squash

I have always baked acorn squash with brown sugar and butter.  It's good but sweet, almost too sweet.  Last night I noticed my acorn squash came with cooking instructions.  I followed them and the squash was the best I've ever had!

How to cook the perfect acorn squash as told by the squash!

1. Cut the acorn squash in half (I did thirds because there are 3 of us)
2. Place the squash cut side down in a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water.
3. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
4. Turn the squash so that the soft center is facing up, add one teaspoon of Orange Marmalade and one teaspoon of butter.  Return to the oven.
5. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until done.

While baking the squash I also baked three chicken breast and at the same time I turned the squash, I turned the chicken and added sauce.  Quick, easy and oh so good!  Enjoy

Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Pie

This basic recipe has been on the Bisquick mix box for many years.  I've added potatoes, carrots and peas to include a good serving of vegetables.  It's a great winter comfort food.  Quick and easy and very good.
Ingredients
1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 large baked potato diced
1 large carrot sliced and steamed
1 cup of fresh peas steamed
1 cup of Cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup of Original Bisquick mix
1 cup of milk
2 eggs

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a larger skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until done.  Season to taste.  Also steam the veggies and dice a previously baked potato (I used one left over from last night).  In a small bowl, stir the Bisquick mix, milk and eggs.
Layer the ingredients as follows:

1. meat and onions,
2. baked potato,
3. peas and carrots,
4. shredded cheese,
5. pour Bisquick-milk-egg mixture over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

Happy New Year ~ from the Dinner Queen

I look forward to sharing recipes with you. 

Directions for four pork chops

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, beat together one egg and 1/4 cup of milk. On a paper plate, mix 1/2 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
3. Heat olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. 
4. Dip each pork chop into flour, then the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown about 5 minutes on each side.
5. Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes (longer if the pork chops are thicker then average).

The flour will help the egg mixture and bread crumb mixture stick to the pork chops.