1” thick cut New York Strip Steak
Brown Sugar
KC Masterpiece Steak Seasoning with Garlic
Emeril’s Italian Essence
Spread about 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar on one side of the steak. Use the back of a spoon to rub the sugar in. Sprinkle KC masterpiece Steak Seasoning onto the steak – don’t use too little or too much. Sprinkle Emeril’s Italian Essence on the steak. Turn steak over and repeat on other side. Let sit for 1-2 hours and grill on medium-low heat. Flip about every five minutes for 20 minutes or until done (I like medium rare).
Sammie's Notes:
• I’ve found that when I remove the steaks from the plate, the seasoning doesn’t stay on the side of the steak sitting on the plate. I place that side face-up on the grill and re-sprinkle both seasonings onto that side after putting them on the grill.
• I’ve tried letting these steaks sit for long periods of time after seasoning them – I didn’t like the flavor as much. For guests, I start seasoning the steaks about 2 hours before we plan on eating and I never start cooking steaks until the guests are here. Steak is best right off the grill – I seat the guests just before the steaks are finished and put the steaks on their plates straight from the grill.
• Extra special thanks to Elder Knudsen – a missionary from Arizona currently serving in State College – who taught me how to cut New York strip steaks from a cryovac and suggested I use brown sugar on the steaks. (Combining it with the other two seasonings was my idea…)
• Melba and I like to eat these steaks with a cheese tortellini pesto salad. (see next entry)
Melba's note: YUM!
Showing posts with label Main Dishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main Dishes. Show all posts
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Chicken Tamale Casserole from Cooking Light
1 cup (4 oz.) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 oz.) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz.) box corn muffin mix
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13X9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tbs sour cream. Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrition Information: 354 calories, 14.1g fat, 18.9g protein, 36.3g carb, 2.5g fiber
Melba's Note: We don't have any good Mexican restaurants in or near State College, so I'm always craving Mexican food, and I ESPECIALLY love tamales. This satisfies that craving and then some...
With Cooking Light recipes, I've found that I usually need to significantly increase (sometimes even double) the suggested cooking time. Has anyone else had that experience? I don't know if their ovens are just really hot (maybe they cook in a convection oven?) or if their food testers just like raw or undercooked food. Anyway, I cook the corn mixture for 20-25 minutes. The chicken part isn't such a big deal cuz you're just warming the whole thing and melting the cheese.
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 oz.) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz.) box corn muffin mix
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13X9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tbs sour cream. Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrition Information: 354 calories, 14.1g fat, 18.9g protein, 36.3g carb, 2.5g fiber
Melba's Note: We don't have any good Mexican restaurants in or near State College, so I'm always craving Mexican food, and I ESPECIALLY love tamales. This satisfies that craving and then some...
With Cooking Light recipes, I've found that I usually need to significantly increase (sometimes even double) the suggested cooking time. Has anyone else had that experience? I don't know if their ovens are just really hot (maybe they cook in a convection oven?) or if their food testers just like raw or undercooked food. Anyway, I cook the corn mixture for 20-25 minutes. The chicken part isn't such a big deal cuz you're just warming the whole thing and melting the cheese.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Sammie's Steak Marinade
2/3 Cup Cranberry Juice
3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Chopped Fresh Rosemary
2 Cloves Garlic diced
McCormick Montreal Steak Rub
2 Good-size Sirloin steaks
Combine the cranberry juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a Tupperware dish. Add the steaks to the dish – then flip the steaks so that both sides have been covered with marinade. The steaks do not need to be completely immersed in the marinade, but they should have garlic and rosemary sitting on top of them while they marinate. Let them sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours – flip the steaks about every 2 hours in the marinade.
Remove the dish from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle some of the Montreal Steak rub on either side of the steaks as you put them on the grill. Continue pouring a small amount of the marinade on the steaks while they cook.
Note – I tend to be pretty generous with the garlic and rosemary. I also like to let steaks marinade overnight. If you do this, be sure to flip them right before you go to bed and in the morning when you get up.
Sammie's Note: I went to a local restaurant in September – The Allen Street Grill – and had the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. A month later, on the day I signed the offer from Dell, Melba and I went to this restaurant to celebrate and I ordered this steak again. I tried to get the recipe, but it should come as no surprise that they wouldn’t give it to me. All I know is that it is a ‘Sweet Vinaigrette’. I have been trying to duplicate it since then and this is a recipe from a Williams & Sonoma grilling cookbook which is pretty close. It’s a simple marinade which tastes awesome. W&S says it is for sirloin and while I have only used it for sirloin (don’t have the money for rib-eye), I think it will work well with any other type of steak.
Melba's Note: My Texas husband will be out on our deck, a foot of snow on the ground and more falling, grilling IN SANDALS!!!! It's wonderful.
3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Chopped Fresh Rosemary
2 Cloves Garlic diced
McCormick Montreal Steak Rub
2 Good-size Sirloin steaks
Combine the cranberry juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary and garlic in a Tupperware dish. Add the steaks to the dish – then flip the steaks so that both sides have been covered with marinade. The steaks do not need to be completely immersed in the marinade, but they should have garlic and rosemary sitting on top of them while they marinate. Let them sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours – flip the steaks about every 2 hours in the marinade.
Remove the dish from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle some of the Montreal Steak rub on either side of the steaks as you put them on the grill. Continue pouring a small amount of the marinade on the steaks while they cook.
Note – I tend to be pretty generous with the garlic and rosemary. I also like to let steaks marinade overnight. If you do this, be sure to flip them right before you go to bed and in the morning when you get up.
Sammie's Note: I went to a local restaurant in September – The Allen Street Grill – and had the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. A month later, on the day I signed the offer from Dell, Melba and I went to this restaurant to celebrate and I ordered this steak again. I tried to get the recipe, but it should come as no surprise that they wouldn’t give it to me. All I know is that it is a ‘Sweet Vinaigrette’. I have been trying to duplicate it since then and this is a recipe from a Williams & Sonoma grilling cookbook which is pretty close. It’s a simple marinade which tastes awesome. W&S says it is for sirloin and while I have only used it for sirloin (don’t have the money for rib-eye), I think it will work well with any other type of steak.
Melba's Note: My Texas husband will be out on our deck, a foot of snow on the ground and more falling, grilling IN SANDALS!!!! It's wonderful.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Creamy Spinach Ravioli from Pampered Chef Lite
1 pkg (8 oz.) mushrooms, sliced (I leave this out cuz we're anti-mushroom in this house)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used onion powder tonight and it worked)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I also left this out tonight, but I've put it in before...)
2 packages (9 oz. each) refrigerated light cheese-filled ravioli
2 garlic cloves, pressed (I used garlic powder tonight and it worked)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen creamed spinach in low-fat sauce, thawed
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1-2 Chicken breasts, chopped (This isn't in the recipe, but I added chicken on my own because Sammie's such a meateater, and we really like it.)
Slice mushrooms, chop onion, and dice bell pepper.
Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, garlic (pressed) and black pepper. Add chicken at this point, if using. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender and all liquid is absorbed (and chicken is cooked).
Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese and evaporated milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in creamed spinach. Simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Pour vegetable mixture over ravioli; stir gently. Serve immediately. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 340, Total Fat 10g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Carbohydrate 44g, Protein 18g, Sodium 580 mg, Fiber 4g
Melba's note: If you don't make any other recipe on this site, MAKE THIS ONE!! It's SO yummy and looks impressive, but is super easy.
Whenever I make a new recipe, I always ask Sammie for a quote to write on the recipe so we can remember what we thought. He'll also rank them as a "1st stringer," "2nd stringer," etc. Here's his quote from the first time I made this: "Came in strong at training camp. Took a while for the scouts to recognize him. Performed well in 1st real game. And he will stay there." It's a 1st stringer. That about says it all.
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used onion powder tonight and it worked)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I also left this out tonight, but I've put it in before...)
2 packages (9 oz. each) refrigerated light cheese-filled ravioli
2 garlic cloves, pressed (I used garlic powder tonight and it worked)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen creamed spinach in low-fat sauce, thawed
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1-2 Chicken breasts, chopped (This isn't in the recipe, but I added chicken on my own because Sammie's such a meateater, and we really like it.)
Slice mushrooms, chop onion, and dice bell pepper.
Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, garlic (pressed) and black pepper. Add chicken at this point, if using. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender and all liquid is absorbed (and chicken is cooked).
Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese and evaporated milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in creamed spinach. Simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Pour vegetable mixture over ravioli; stir gently. Serve immediately. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 340, Total Fat 10g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Carbohydrate 44g, Protein 18g, Sodium 580 mg, Fiber 4g
Melba's note: If you don't make any other recipe on this site, MAKE THIS ONE!! It's SO yummy and looks impressive, but is super easy.
Whenever I make a new recipe, I always ask Sammie for a quote to write on the recipe so we can remember what we thought. He'll also rank them as a "1st stringer," "2nd stringer," etc. Here's his quote from the first time I made this: "Came in strong at training camp. Took a while for the scouts to recognize him. Performed well in 1st real game. And he will stay there." It's a 1st stringer. That about says it all.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Souffle Stuffed Chicken from The South Beach Diet Cookbook
1 package (12 ounces) Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle, not thawed (I've never actually found this, so I use frozen creamed spinach)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thickness
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
Slices lemon, for garnish
Sprig parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using a serrated knife, cut the spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle. Fold half of the chicken over the filling and fasten the edges with wooden picks.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden. Discard the garlic. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until well-browned on both sides.
Remove the chicken breasts to an oven-proof dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, add the broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to the large skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced about 1/2.
To serve, remove and discard the wooden picks. Arrange the chicken on a warm serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the chopped parsley, lemon, and parsley sprig.
Nutrition: 308 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 32 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 136 mg cholesterol, 719 mg sodium
Melba's note: I read Sammie his choices for dinner tonight and he said, "What about that one dish that's like chicken cordon bleu but spinach." From this rather inelegant description, I was finally able to determine that this is what he was talking about. It's delicious!
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thickness
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
Slices lemon, for garnish
Sprig parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using a serrated knife, cut the spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle. Fold half of the chicken over the filling and fasten the edges with wooden picks.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden. Discard the garlic. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until well-browned on both sides.
Remove the chicken breasts to an oven-proof dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, add the broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to the large skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced about 1/2.
To serve, remove and discard the wooden picks. Arrange the chicken on a warm serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the chopped parsley, lemon, and parsley sprig.
Nutrition: 308 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 32 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 136 mg cholesterol, 719 mg sodium
Melba's note: I read Sammie his choices for dinner tonight and he said, "What about that one dish that's like chicken cordon bleu but spinach." From this rather inelegant description, I was finally able to determine that this is what he was talking about. It's delicious!
Chicken Cordon Bleu from Lion House Recipes
8 chicken breast halves
8 thin slices cooked ham (I usually use the lunch meat variety)
4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into fingers about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick
Salt
Pepper
Thyme or rosemary
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
Place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet to about 1/8 inch thickness.
On each ham slice place a finger of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with seasonings. Roll ham and cheese jelly-roll style, then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and seal well. (Tie rolls if necessary, or fasten edges with toothpicks.) Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs, turning to thoroughly coat each roll.
Place rolls in a 9X13 pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve with Cordon Bleu Sauce, if desired.
Cordon Bleu Sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Blend ingredients and heat. Serve over chicken rolls, if desired.
Melba's note: Sammie took leftovers of this to work/school today and some of the women in his office requested the recipe. So... this one is for them! (Thanks for taking care of Sammie at work. :) )
This recipe seems intimidating, but is actually pretty easy. The part I hate the most is pounding the chicken, but Sammie loves to do that, so I don't have to. Very delicious and very impressive!
Oh... and I rarely serve it with the sauce. Also, Sammie doesn't like herbs in the middle, so he requests his plain.
8 thin slices cooked ham (I usually use the lunch meat variety)
4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into fingers about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick
Salt
Pepper
Thyme or rosemary
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
Place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet to about 1/8 inch thickness.
On each ham slice place a finger of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with seasonings. Roll ham and cheese jelly-roll style, then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and seal well. (Tie rolls if necessary, or fasten edges with toothpicks.) Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs, turning to thoroughly coat each roll.
Place rolls in a 9X13 pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve with Cordon Bleu Sauce, if desired.
Cordon Bleu Sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Blend ingredients and heat. Serve over chicken rolls, if desired.
Melba's note: Sammie took leftovers of this to work/school today and some of the women in his office requested the recipe. So... this one is for them! (Thanks for taking care of Sammie at work. :) )
This recipe seems intimidating, but is actually pretty easy. The part I hate the most is pounding the chicken, but Sammie loves to do that, so I don't have to. Very delicious and very impressive!
Oh... and I rarely serve it with the sauce. Also, Sammie doesn't like herbs in the middle, so he requests his plain.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Chicken Alfredo Pasta from Stephanie Erickson
Melt together:
1 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
This will end up looking grainy and you'll think you did something wrong, but you didn't.
Stir in:
1 package of shredded 4 Cheese Italian blend
2 pints cream (heavy or light, depending on how your clothes are fitting)
garlic salt (to taste)
pepper
Stir until it's thick and looks like Alfredo Sauce.
Add:
Grilled Chicken Breast (oh, about 2-3 breasts worth. More or less, depending on your crowd)
1 or 1 1/2 pkgs. cooked pasta
This recipe generously feeds 10 people. I multiplied it by 8 for camp and had plenty, plus some leftovers.
Melba's Note: This is from my friend Stephanie Erickson, who mentored me through planning the menu for camp. She is as amazing a person as she is a cook. This recipe looks intimidating but is very easy and very yummy!
1 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
This will end up looking grainy and you'll think you did something wrong, but you didn't.
Stir in:
1 package of shredded 4 Cheese Italian blend
2 pints cream (heavy or light, depending on how your clothes are fitting)
garlic salt (to taste)
pepper
Stir until it's thick and looks like Alfredo Sauce.
Add:
Grilled Chicken Breast (oh, about 2-3 breasts worth. More or less, depending on your crowd)
1 or 1 1/2 pkgs. cooked pasta
This recipe generously feeds 10 people. I multiplied it by 8 for camp and had plenty, plus some leftovers.
Melba's Note: This is from my friend Stephanie Erickson, who mentored me through planning the menu for camp. She is as amazing a person as she is a cook. This recipe looks intimidating but is very easy and very yummy!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Basic Sweet Crepes from "Joy of Cooking" via Carolyn Markham
1/2 c flour
1/2 c milk
1/4 c water - lukewarm
2 large eggs
2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 T sugar
pinch of salt
Let stand 30 minutes (or Carolyn uses a blender). For savory crepes, omit sugar and use 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Melba's Note: Last Sunday, Carolyn (who is 4 months pregnant and has 4 small kids at home) got up at 6 a.m. to plan her Sunday School lesson and fix two different kinds of pancakes for her kids and houseguests. (see previous recipe). After church, she made us these crepes for lunch. (See why I call her Superwoman?) We ate them with ham and cheese for lunch, then with nutella for dessert. They were yummy!!!
1/2 c milk
1/4 c water - lukewarm
2 large eggs
2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 T sugar
pinch of salt
Let stand 30 minutes (or Carolyn uses a blender). For savory crepes, omit sugar and use 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Melba's Note: Last Sunday, Carolyn (who is 4 months pregnant and has 4 small kids at home) got up at 6 a.m. to plan her Sunday School lesson and fix two different kinds of pancakes for her kids and houseguests. (see previous recipe). After church, she made us these crepes for lunch. (See why I call her Superwoman?) We ate them with ham and cheese for lunch, then with nutella for dessert. They were yummy!!!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Sesame Chicken
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, raw
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dry sherry (I substitute 1/2 soy sauce and 1/2 maple syrup)
1 tsp ginger root, fresh, minced (yes, wouldn't that be nice? I used ginger from the spice jar)
1/2 tsp five-spice powder (in the asian section of the grocery store)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-in pieces
2 tsp peanut oil
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and cook until lightly toasted, shaking the pan frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes; transfer seeds to a shallow dish and set aside.
Whisk water, soy sauce, maple syrup, sherry, ginger and five-spice power together in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish; add chicken and turn to coat. Shake chicken pieces to remove excess flour.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture to chicken and cook until sauce thickens and is almost evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Dip chicken pieces in toasted sesame seeds and serve, drizzled with any additional soy sauce mixture. Yields 4 servings, about 4 strips per serving. 4 WW points per serving.
Melba's Note: Yesterday, Sammie turned in his last final for his first year of MBA school! Hooray! To celebrate, we had some of his school friends over for dinner. I served this, the egg drop soup, and the lettuce wraps (which, by the way, are only 5 ww points if you cut down the oil to only 1 tbsp.)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dry sherry (I substitute 1/2 soy sauce and 1/2 maple syrup)
1 tsp ginger root, fresh, minced (yes, wouldn't that be nice? I used ginger from the spice jar)
1/2 tsp five-spice powder (in the asian section of the grocery store)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-in pieces
2 tsp peanut oil
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and cook until lightly toasted, shaking the pan frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes; transfer seeds to a shallow dish and set aside.
Whisk water, soy sauce, maple syrup, sherry, ginger and five-spice power together in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish; add chicken and turn to coat. Shake chicken pieces to remove excess flour.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture to chicken and cook until sauce thickens and is almost evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Dip chicken pieces in toasted sesame seeds and serve, drizzled with any additional soy sauce mixture. Yields 4 servings, about 4 strips per serving. 4 WW points per serving.
Melba's Note: Yesterday, Sammie turned in his last final for his first year of MBA school! Hooray! To celebrate, we had some of his school friends over for dinner. I served this, the egg drop soup, and the lettuce wraps (which, by the way, are only 5 ww points if you cut down the oil to only 1 tbsp.)
Monday, April 21, 2008
TERIYAKI CHICKEN WITH FRUIT SALSA by Jennie Blake
1 ½ c. diced cantaloupe
1 c. diced pineapple
1 diced papaya
½ c. diced cucumber
½ c. chopped green onions
½ c. coarsely chopped cilantro
¼ c. rice vinegar
¼ c. sugar
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
1 T. salt
juice of one lime
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate 1-2 hours prior to serving. Good with marinated/barbequed teriyaki chicken (I use Yoshidas) and rice, grilled fish, or just with chips.
NOTE
OK—this is one of my mom’s staples, and it has become one of mine as well. I’m sure it came from one of the amazing cooks from the neighborhood I grew up in. It seems like there is a statistically impossible percentage of gourmet cooks there, but I just steal all their recipes and claim them as my own in California.
1 c. diced pineapple
1 diced papaya
½ c. diced cucumber
½ c. chopped green onions
½ c. coarsely chopped cilantro
¼ c. rice vinegar
¼ c. sugar
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
1 T. salt
juice of one lime
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate 1-2 hours prior to serving. Good with marinated/barbequed teriyaki chicken (I use Yoshidas) and rice, grilled fish, or just with chips.
NOTE
OK—this is one of my mom’s staples, and it has become one of mine as well. I’m sure it came from one of the amazing cooks from the neighborhood I grew up in. It seems like there is a statistically impossible percentage of gourmet cooks there, but I just steal all their recipes and claim them as my own in California.
MARINATED FLANK STEAK WITH SUMMER SALSA by Jennie Holman Blake
Steak and Creole Seasoning
1 (2-3 lb.) flank steak
¼c. olive oil
2½ T. paprika
2 T. salt
2 T. garlic powder
1 T. black pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried leaf oregano
1 T. dried thyme
Coat flank steak with olive oil. Rub one tablespoon Creole seasoning mix onto each side of meat. Store unused seasoning mix in an airtight container. Marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Grill the flank steak to medium rare, about six minutes per side over high heat. Let steak rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. Slice steak on a bias against the grain. To serve, fan out slices and top with summer salsa.
Summer Salsa
½ cantaloupe, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 c. blackberries
½ c. red bell pepper, small diced
1 medium red onion, large diced
½ lemon, juiced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
chopped fresh parsley and cilantro to taste
season with salt and freshly ground red pepper
Yield: serves 4-6
JENNIE'S NOTE: There is a very small, somewhat unknown camping area right after you cross the Golden Gate Bridge on the Sausalito side. There are only four camp spots on a bluff overlooking the beach and you have to book a year in advance. At night you can leave the kids sleeping in the tent and take the little path down and sit on the beach with the bridge lit up and watch the enormous freight ships pass through. It’s pure summer magic. We’ve done this for about six years with a group of friends, and this meal has become an annual request. You’re welcome to come join us any year!
Melba's Note: How do I describe Jennie? She was the first LDS democrat and feminist that I ever knew. We shared a boyfriend (without knowing it) our senior years of high school, and spent four months in Israel 2 years later laughing about it. (Hi Ben!) Jen and her husband both have law degrees from BYU and three adorable kids - including a set of twins! Jen's one of the most intelligent and wonderful people I know. I miss lying awake in our room in Israel listening to the interesting things she says in her sleep. :) Jen - I hope we get to join you for the camping trip soon!
1 (2-3 lb.) flank steak
¼c. olive oil
2½ T. paprika
2 T. salt
2 T. garlic powder
1 T. black pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried leaf oregano
1 T. dried thyme
Coat flank steak with olive oil. Rub one tablespoon Creole seasoning mix onto each side of meat. Store unused seasoning mix in an airtight container. Marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Grill the flank steak to medium rare, about six minutes per side over high heat. Let steak rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. Slice steak on a bias against the grain. To serve, fan out slices and top with summer salsa.
Summer Salsa
½ cantaloupe, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 c. blackberries
½ c. red bell pepper, small diced
1 medium red onion, large diced
½ lemon, juiced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
chopped fresh parsley and cilantro to taste
season with salt and freshly ground red pepper
Yield: serves 4-6
JENNIE'S NOTE: There is a very small, somewhat unknown camping area right after you cross the Golden Gate Bridge on the Sausalito side. There are only four camp spots on a bluff overlooking the beach and you have to book a year in advance. At night you can leave the kids sleeping in the tent and take the little path down and sit on the beach with the bridge lit up and watch the enormous freight ships pass through. It’s pure summer magic. We’ve done this for about six years with a group of friends, and this meal has become an annual request. You’re welcome to come join us any year!
Melba's Note: How do I describe Jennie? She was the first LDS democrat and feminist that I ever knew. We shared a boyfriend (without knowing it) our senior years of high school, and spent four months in Israel 2 years later laughing about it. (Hi Ben!) Jen and her husband both have law degrees from BYU and three adorable kids - including a set of twins! Jen's one of the most intelligent and wonderful people I know. I miss lying awake in our room in Israel listening to the interesting things she says in her sleep. :) Jen - I hope we get to join you for the camping trip soon!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Chicken Capri
This is from the South Beach Diet Cookbook
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup crushed tomatoes
4 slices reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Process to blend.
Rub the chicken with the garlic powder. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 12 minutes per side. Place the chicken breasts, side by side, in a large baking dish and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/4 cup tomatoes onto each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with 1 slice mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 340 calories, 15 g fat, 5 g sat. fat, 44 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 115 g cholesterol, 470 g sodium.
Melba's note: Sammie and I LOVE this! For those of you fluent or at least conversant in South Beach-ese, this is a phase one recipe. Sammie didn't believe me when I told him that. He thought I had just splurged. It's like Chicken Parmigiana, but lighter. I made it last night for Jennie (little sister) and my Dad. (Quick update on my life - I'm in SLC taking care of Dad after a mountain biking accident sent him in to hip surgery Sat. night. He's doing great.) They loved it!
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup crushed tomatoes
4 slices reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Process to blend.
Rub the chicken with the garlic powder. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 12 minutes per side. Place the chicken breasts, side by side, in a large baking dish and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/4 cup tomatoes onto each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with 1 slice mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 340 calories, 15 g fat, 5 g sat. fat, 44 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 115 g cholesterol, 470 g sodium.
Melba's note: Sammie and I LOVE this! For those of you fluent or at least conversant in South Beach-ese, this is a phase one recipe. Sammie didn't believe me when I told him that. He thought I had just splurged. It's like Chicken Parmigiana, but lighter. I made it last night for Jennie (little sister) and my Dad. (Quick update on my life - I'm in SLC taking care of Dad after a mountain biking accident sent him in to hip surgery Sat. night. He's doing great.) They loved it!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Creamy Cooker Chicken
From "Fix-It and Forget-It" (The Crock Pot Bible)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 cups sour cream
10 3/4 can. cream of mushroom or chicken soup
6 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
1. Combine soup mix, sour cream, and cream of mushroom/chicken soup in slow cooker. Add chicken, pushing it down so it is submerged in the sauce.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
3. Serve over rice or noodles.
Note: I like to shred the chicken before serving.
Sammie always says he married me for my crock-pot chicken. I think he could have bought himself a slow cooker and a recipe book and saved himself a lot of trouble. But, my luck that he didn't. :)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 cups sour cream
10 3/4 can. cream of mushroom or chicken soup
6 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
1. Combine soup mix, sour cream, and cream of mushroom/chicken soup in slow cooker. Add chicken, pushing it down so it is submerged in the sauce.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
3. Serve over rice or noodles.
Note: I like to shred the chicken before serving.
Sammie always says he married me for my crock-pot chicken. I think he could have bought himself a slow cooker and a recipe book and saved himself a lot of trouble. But, my luck that he didn't. :)
Lasagne—Lindsay Kaelberer
Boil 9 lasagne for 10 minutes.
Lightly spray oil or Pam on counter top or foil and spread rinsed noodles out flat.
Sauce:
1 lb. ground beef, brown and drain fat.
Add: 1 clove minced garlic
1 jar spaghetti sauce (27 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. basil
Simmer.
In a bowl mix:
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups cottage cheese
2 tbsp. parley flakes
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Cheese Layer:
1 lb. mozzarella cheese
In a 9x13 pan, layer noodles, cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce, and cheese. Repeat 2 more times. (Each time use 3 noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 lb. cheese.)
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. If chilled, bake 1 hour. Let sit 20 minutes before serving.
This is my mother-in-law’s recipe. I always thought lasagne was a total pain to make, but this is fairly easy and really good!
Melba's Note: This lasagne IS very good! Still, some people don't appreciate homemade food. Lindsay served this once to two well-meaning-but-slightly-clueless-LDS missionaries. One of them commented, "This is really good! It's almost as good as Stauffers!"
Lightly spray oil or Pam on counter top or foil and spread rinsed noodles out flat.
Sauce:
1 lb. ground beef, brown and drain fat.
Add: 1 clove minced garlic
1 jar spaghetti sauce (27 oz.)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. basil
Simmer.
In a bowl mix:
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups cottage cheese
2 tbsp. parley flakes
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Cheese Layer:
1 lb. mozzarella cheese
In a 9x13 pan, layer noodles, cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce, and cheese. Repeat 2 more times. (Each time use 3 noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 lb. cheese.)
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. If chilled, bake 1 hour. Let sit 20 minutes before serving.
This is my mother-in-law’s recipe. I always thought lasagne was a total pain to make, but this is fairly easy and really good!
Melba's Note: This lasagne IS very good! Still, some people don't appreciate homemade food. Lindsay served this once to two well-meaning-but-slightly-clueless-LDS missionaries. One of them commented, "This is really good! It's almost as good as Stauffers!"
Chicken Enchiladas—Kaelberer-Style! by Lindsay Kaelberer
Saute ½ a chopped onion and 1 small can of diced green chilies in some olive oil. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together 2 cans of canned chicken (shredded), 1 ½ cans of cream of chicken soup, ½ can of water (from the soup can), ½ cup sour cream, and sauted onions and green chilies.
Spoon these into tortillas and roll them into a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix together the other ½ can of cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, and enough water to make the mixture pour easily. Spread this on top of the tortillas, covering each tortilla. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for ½ hour with foil on top. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Melba's Note: Haven't tried these myself, but I'm definitely excited to! Lindsay has 5 kids ages 1-10, including 2 "cage fighters" - Sam and Josh, just over 2 years apart and both very cute and very, well, active. It's a wonder she has time to pour a bowl of cereal, much less cook!
In a bowl, mix together 2 cans of canned chicken (shredded), 1 ½ cans of cream of chicken soup, ½ can of water (from the soup can), ½ cup sour cream, and sauted onions and green chilies.
Spoon these into tortillas and roll them into a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix together the other ½ can of cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, and enough water to make the mixture pour easily. Spread this on top of the tortillas, covering each tortilla. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for ½ hour with foil on top. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Melba's Note: Haven't tried these myself, but I'm definitely excited to! Lindsay has 5 kids ages 1-10, including 2 "cage fighters" - Sam and Josh, just over 2 years apart and both very cute and very, well, active. It's a wonder she has time to pour a bowl of cereal, much less cook!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Chicken with Lime Dressing
(This is from the South Beach Diet Cookbook)
Lime Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs chopped scallions
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sugar/sugar substitute (it has to say that cuz it's a diet cookbook...)
1/2 tsp salt
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thickness
2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsps picante sauce
1 tsp + 1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tbs whole wheat flour
Combine chicken with 3 Tbs of the lime dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 10 mins.
In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with 2 Tbs of the lime dressing. Stir in the lemon juice and picante sauce. Reserve the remaining lime dressing.
Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to a large bowl and add the almonds. (Or, I threw the almonds in the pan with the garlic and "toasted" them that way. It smelled awesome!)
Remove the chicken from the dressing and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle flour over both sides of the chicken.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until done. Place the chicken on 4 serving plates and equally divide the pepper mixture, sprinkling over the chicken. Drizzle the reserved dressing over each serving. Serve with a side of the mashed avocados.
Melba's note: I had forgotten about this recipe until my Mom bought this cookbook and asked me which recipes I liked from it. (All of them, basically!) I noticed that I had written positive reviews on this one, but couldn't remember making it. I tried it again tonight and we remembered why we liked it so much!
Lime Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs chopped scallions
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sugar/sugar substitute (it has to say that cuz it's a diet cookbook...)
1/2 tsp salt
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thickness
2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsps picante sauce
1 tsp + 1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tbs whole wheat flour
Combine chicken with 3 Tbs of the lime dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 10 mins.
In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with 2 Tbs of the lime dressing. Stir in the lemon juice and picante sauce. Reserve the remaining lime dressing.
Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to a large bowl and add the almonds. (Or, I threw the almonds in the pan with the garlic and "toasted" them that way. It smelled awesome!)
Remove the chicken from the dressing and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle flour over both sides of the chicken.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until done. Place the chicken on 4 serving plates and equally divide the pepper mixture, sprinkling over the chicken. Drizzle the reserved dressing over each serving. Serve with a side of the mashed avocados.
Melba's note: I had forgotten about this recipe until my Mom bought this cookbook and asked me which recipes I liked from it. (All of them, basically!) I noticed that I had written positive reviews on this one, but couldn't remember making it. I tried it again tonight and we remembered why we liked it so much!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Chicken ala Slooney by Martha (Boyer) Birk
About 4 lbs of chicken
about 1/2 bottle of Ken's Steakhouse Balsamic and Basil Vinaigrette
1 (8 oz) package of onion and chive cream cheese
Put chicken in crockpot. Pour dressing over chicken and cover about halfway and cook in on high for 3-4 hrs. Shred chicken and then add cream cheese (you can add more if you want it creamier). (I cooked it on low for another half hour.) Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. So yummy and it's only 3 ingredients (my kind of cooking)! It's not exactly South Beach, but everyone needs a break once in a while, right?
Melba's note: This is from my little sister Martha, also known by some as Slooney. She didn't give the recipe a name, so I named it for her. :) We used to refer to Martha as "our weirdest sister." She is one of the most amusing, energetic, witty people I know. She's amazingly bright (got through high school with a 4.0 and is now an RN) but says really dumb things. (i.e. while watching the "outtakes" to A Bug's Life she got all confused about how the animators and voice actors messed up together. She didn't realize they were fake outtakes.) Never a dull (or quiet) moment with Slooney around...
about 1/2 bottle of Ken's Steakhouse Balsamic and Basil Vinaigrette
1 (8 oz) package of onion and chive cream cheese
Put chicken in crockpot. Pour dressing over chicken and cover about halfway and cook in on high for 3-4 hrs. Shred chicken and then add cream cheese (you can add more if you want it creamier). (I cooked it on low for another half hour.) Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. So yummy and it's only 3 ingredients (my kind of cooking)! It's not exactly South Beach, but everyone needs a break once in a while, right?
Melba's note: This is from my little sister Martha, also known by some as Slooney. She didn't give the recipe a name, so I named it for her. :) We used to refer to Martha as "our weirdest sister." She is one of the most amusing, energetic, witty people I know. She's amazingly bright (got through high school with a 4.0 and is now an RN) but says really dumb things. (i.e. while watching the "outtakes" to A Bug's Life she got all confused about how the animators and voice actors messed up together. She didn't realize they were fake outtakes.) Never a dull (or quiet) moment with Slooney around...
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Ruby's Meatloaf
Ruby's Meatloaf
24 Single Soda Crackers
1 C Milk
1 Egg (beaten)
1/4 C Ketchup
1 1/2 t Salt
1 t Onion Salt or 1/4 C chopped Onion
Pepper to taste
2 Lbs Ground Beef
Crush Crackers and add milk. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in regular size bread loaf pan (you could also use 8 mini loaf pans). Before placing in the oven, cover top of meat loaf with special Piquant Sauce (below). Put in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. When cooked, remove meat loaf immediately from the pan and place on a plate - this makes it so that grease does not seep back into the meat.
Piquant Sauce
Combine 3 T Brown Sugar, 1/4 C Ketchup, 1/4 t nutmeg, and 1 t dry mustard.
So, this recipe is not really necessarily healthy fare, but...'tis the season for comfort food.
After having been treated to many an awful meat loaf, I decided to share this recipe which is a family favorite. This is an original recipe from Ruby Clark, who is a wonderful cook and had her own catering business in Salt Lake for many years. I was lucky enough to grow up in her ward and enjoyed many delicious meals from Ruby's kitchen.
I have found that one of the tricks to a good meat loaf is to use enough ground beef and to use as high a quality as you are able (meaning the lowest in fat you can afford to buy). Another trick is to cook at the right time and temperature. It really does take 1 1/2 hours for this recipe to cook, but it's worth the time. My husband AND my kids love this recipe. I hope you will too!
24 Single Soda Crackers
1 C Milk
1 Egg (beaten)
1/4 C Ketchup
1 1/2 t Salt
1 t Onion Salt or 1/4 C chopped Onion
Pepper to taste
2 Lbs Ground Beef
Crush Crackers and add milk. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in regular size bread loaf pan (you could also use 8 mini loaf pans). Before placing in the oven, cover top of meat loaf with special Piquant Sauce (below). Put in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. When cooked, remove meat loaf immediately from the pan and place on a plate - this makes it so that grease does not seep back into the meat.
Piquant Sauce
Combine 3 T Brown Sugar, 1/4 C Ketchup, 1/4 t nutmeg, and 1 t dry mustard.
So, this recipe is not really necessarily healthy fare, but...'tis the season for comfort food.
After having been treated to many an awful meat loaf, I decided to share this recipe which is a family favorite. This is an original recipe from Ruby Clark, who is a wonderful cook and had her own catering business in Salt Lake for many years. I was lucky enough to grow up in her ward and enjoyed many delicious meals from Ruby's kitchen.
I have found that one of the tricks to a good meat loaf is to use enough ground beef and to use as high a quality as you are able (meaning the lowest in fat you can afford to buy). Another trick is to cook at the right time and temperature. It really does take 1 1/2 hours for this recipe to cook, but it's worth the time. My husband AND my kids love this recipe. I hope you will too!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Frito Casserole, from Carrie (Boyer) Linscott
Frito Casserole
(From the Junior League Cookbook)
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ½ cups water
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 clove minced garlic
½ cup uncooked minute rice
1 package Fritos
Brown ground beef and onion. Stir in water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Add rice. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over Fritos. Garnish with grated Monterey Jack cheese, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped black olives, chopped green onions, diced avocado, or chopped green pepper. 6-8 servings.
Once when Melba was living in Pennsylvania for her first time, she came home for a few days to visit. Our mom announced that she was making Frito casserole for dinner, and Melba literally started jumping up and down with delight! This casserole got a similarly enthusiastic reaction on the day of our sister Martha's wedding. I invited Martha, her groom (Adam), her photographer (Sammie), and her photographer's lovely assistant (Melba) over for lunch between the ceremony and reception, since I lived right on the way. When I told Sammie I was making Frito casserole for the occasion, he nearly knocked me over with a huge bear hug. Here is a picture of Martha ready to be served her Frito casserole, with her wedding dress carefully protected:
Enjoy the recipe!
(From the Junior League Cookbook)
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ½ cups water
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 clove minced garlic
½ cup uncooked minute rice
1 package Fritos
Brown ground beef and onion. Stir in water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Add rice. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over Fritos. Garnish with grated Monterey Jack cheese, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped black olives, chopped green onions, diced avocado, or chopped green pepper. 6-8 servings.
Once when Melba was living in Pennsylvania for her first time, she came home for a few days to visit. Our mom announced that she was making Frito casserole for dinner, and Melba literally started jumping up and down with delight! This casserole got a similarly enthusiastic reaction on the day of our sister Martha's wedding. I invited Martha, her groom (Adam), her photographer (Sammie), and her photographer's lovely assistant (Melba) over for lunch between the ceremony and reception, since I lived right on the way. When I told Sammie I was making Frito casserole for the occasion, he nearly knocked me over with a huge bear hug. Here is a picture of Martha ready to be served her Frito casserole, with her wedding dress carefully protected:
Enjoy the recipe!
P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps (well, almost)
Stir Fry
3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceburg lettuce
Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste
Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple of minutes then serve it in the lettuce "cups".
16. Top with special sauce.
Melba's Note: I made this for dinner tonight and it was yummy! Sammie said, "pretty much PF Chang's." Even though it sounds complicated, it was simple and didn't take very long. Actually, the only complicated moment was when all of the chicken needed to be chopped up and put in the hot oil. I was also making egg drop soup and I needed to stir in an egg at the same time. I opened a cupboard and a mug foolishly jumped to its death, shattering all over the floor. Phoebe, our very-cute-but-not-always-really-bright-dog, isn't smart enough to not eat glass or even to not step on it. So Sammie, who was the only free labor I could muster up, had to whisk her away to a safe place. There went my extra set of hands. It was exciting there for a minute, but we got through it.
3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceburg lettuce
Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste
Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple of minutes then serve it in the lettuce "cups".
16. Top with special sauce.
Melba's Note: I made this for dinner tonight and it was yummy! Sammie said, "pretty much PF Chang's." Even though it sounds complicated, it was simple and didn't take very long. Actually, the only complicated moment was when all of the chicken needed to be chopped up and put in the hot oil. I was also making egg drop soup and I needed to stir in an egg at the same time. I opened a cupboard and a mug foolishly jumped to its death, shattering all over the floor. Phoebe, our very-cute-but-not-always-really-bright-dog, isn't smart enough to not eat glass or even to not step on it. So Sammie, who was the only free labor I could muster up, had to whisk her away to a safe place. There went my extra set of hands. It was exciting there for a minute, but we got through it.
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