Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Garlic Chicken Fried Chicken

What you need:
2 teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1 cup oil for frying, or as needed

What you do with it all:

In a shallow dish, mix together the garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika, bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
Heat the oil in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then dredge in the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil with a slotted spatula, and serve.

After dinner comments: This turnedout awesome! I was really scared to fry something, but it actually wasn't that messy. I don't like it when the oil splatters and it didn't really do it at all. I cut up my chicken into small bite size pieces. It turned out delicious!

Matzo Candy

What you need:

12 matzo crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

What you do with it all:

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the matzo crackers in a single layer on the lined baking sheets, breaking to fit, if necessary.
Bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the matzo, and spread evenly with a heat proof spatula.
Place the caramel topped matzo in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Return pans to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Smooth melted chocolate to completely cover the caramel. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes, or until set. Break into small pieces to serve.

After Dessert Comments: This is great! It makes a ton! It's very salty and sweet and is great if kept in the freezer.

Matzo Apple Kugel

What you need:
4 matzo crackers, crushed
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup applesauce
3 Granny Smith apples - cored, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

What you do with it all:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the crumbled matzos in a medium bowl, and add enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain off excess water. Do not squeeze.
To the bowl of matzo, add eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, lemon juice and applesauce. Stir to combine. Mix in the apples and dried cranberries. Spread the mixture evenly into a 2 quart casserole dish. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden, and the apples are soft.

After dessert comments: This was SO GOOD! This recipe should feed about 8, unless you like seconds, then it will feel about 4 or 5. I made it for Passover this last week. I highly recommend it.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Spicy Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

THIS IS SO GOOD!

What you need:

1 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups vegetable broth
3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

What you do with it:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the sweet potatoes directly on the rack and bake until tender enough to easily pierce with a fork, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and heat for 1 minute, then whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and cut into bite size chunks. Add to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes so they can soak up the flavor. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a little bit of cilantro.

After Dinner Comments: So i wanted my soup really smooth, so after i added in the little chunks of sweet potato and let it simmer, i then puree'd it in the blender and put it back on to simmer. It turned out awesome! I have made it twice now. Also, if you leave out the curry paste and make it so that it's not so hot, it's great for kids!

Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating

What you need:
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons butter, melted
5 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
salt and pepper to taste
6 lemon wedges

What you do with it:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

After dinner comments: I loved this! I used fresh salmon from Pike Place Market and spread the Dijon/Honey mixture on the salmon in a baking disha nd then let it sit in the fridge for about 2 hours. Then just spread the bread toppings over the top of it all and baked it. There was about half of the bread/nut topping left over, so it's ok to slim that down. Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Cajun Chicken Pasta

What you need: (servings: 2)
4 ounces linguine pasta
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

What you do with all that:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

After Dinner Comments: This turned out really yummy! Good flavor and you can add anything to the dish that you want. It does make really large servings, so be careful! I made it for 6 people and it turned out that it could feed more like 15 people!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Sour Cream Chicken Quiche

What you need:
1 (9 inch) frozen pie crusts, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream

What you do with it all:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 9 inch pie plate with thawed pie crust. Keep in refrigerator until ready to fill.
In medium frying pan, heat olive oil on medium-high. Add onion and green pepper. Cook three minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Spread this mixture over bottom of unbaked pie shell and top with Cheddar and Swiss cheese.
Combine eggs, milk and sour cream, mix until smooth. Pour over chicken mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake 30 to 35 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean.

After dinner comments: I LOVE THIS! It's so good! It's super easy. I will make this one several time i think.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Coca Cola Marshmallow Chocolate Cake

What you need:
2 cups white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 tablespoons cola-flavored carbonated beverage
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
Sift the flour, white sugar and baking soda together.
In a saucepan over medium heat bring 1 cup of the butter, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa, and 1 cup of the cola drink to a boil. Pour into the flour mixture and stir in the marshmallows, buttermilk and the beaten eggs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove cake from oven and top with Coco-Cola Topping while cake is still warm.
To Make Coco-Cola Topping: In a saucepan bring 1/2 cup of the butter or margarine, 6 tablespoons of the cola drink and 3 tablespoons of the cocoa to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar, chopped nuts and vanilla. Spread topping over cake while still warm.

After dessert comments: This cake turned out REALLY well! I was "iffy" about it during the creation process, but it really turned out well. I ended up baking it for about 50 mintues just because i wanted to try and get it to firm up a bit and it was still a little bit gooey in the middle, but it still tasted great! And i put the frosting on the cake about 5 mintues after i pulled it out of the oven. Worked awesome! The frosting hardens and then cracks when you cut it, but if you don't care about presentation, you will love this cake! I will for sure make it again! Soon! (cause now i have lot's of coke and marshmallow's)

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Mexican Cassarole

What you need:
1 pound ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1 cup mild, chunky salsa
1/4 cup sliced black olives
3 1/2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 (15.25 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup tomato sauce

What you do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly brown; drain.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish combine the beef, corn, salsa, olives, cooked noodles, beans, taco sauce, seasoning mix and tomato sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1/2 hour, or until cooked through.

After dinner comments: This was good. It's more hearty then i thought it would be. Very flavorful and worth making. I don't know how often i will make it, but i for sure will again.

Spicy Chicken Soup!

What you need:

2 quarts water
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, undrained
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

What you do:

In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken, reserve broth. Shred chicken.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned. Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato soup, chili powder, corn, chili beans, sour cream, shredded chicken and 5 cups broth. Simmer 30 minutes.

After dinner comments: Soooo, this turned out really yummy and spicy! However, i baked the chicken and added it for the last 30 minutes of simmering! Oh, and i think that topping it with Sour Cream is great as well as maybe a few avacado slices. It's a great contrast!

WIld Rice Chowder

What you need:
2 tablespoons margarine
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice
8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup boneless chicken breast half, cooked and diced
salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

Melt the butter or margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent and carrots start to get tender.
Add the rice and stir to coat. Then add the chicken stock and the bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, COVER and simmer for 1 hour, or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the heavy cream and puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender or food processor. Return this to the pot and add the chicken. Stir well and allow to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

After dinner comments: This turned out really hearty and good. I totally recommend it! I will make it again.