Food Cooking Recipes

Apple Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

2011-02-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

4 Flour tortillas (approximately 8-inches wide)

1 cup cooked, shredded or chopped, chicken meat

1/4 lb cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, sliced or grated

1 apple, sliced

1/4 cup salsa

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Place one tortilla in the skillet. Flip it a couple of times with a spatula, then let it sit in the pan heating up until air pockets form and parts of the tortilla begin to puff up. Flip it again.
Place cheese slices on half of the tortilla, at least 1/2-inch from the edge of the tortilla. Add chicken pieces on top of the cheese. Fold the tortilla over like an omelette, and press down on the folded tortilla with the spatula. Lower the heat to medium. At this point, if you have enough room in your skillet, you can add a second tortilla to the pan to begin to heat it up.
When the cheese inside the quesadilla has melted, remove the quesadilla to a cutting board. Open it wide and layer on apple slices and salsa. Fold the tortilla back again, and cut it into 3 triangles, as if you were cutting a pie. (You don't have to cut the quesadilla into triangles, it just makes it easier for kids to eat.)
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Makes 12 quesadilla triangles.

African Chicken Peanut Stew Recipe

2011-02-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

Use chicken legs, thighs or wings for this recipe. They have more flavor and will hold up better with the flavors of the stew than breast meat.

2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 large yellow or white onion, sliced

A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly

2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup roasted peanuts

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in the oil. Don't crowd the pot, so do this in batches. Set the chicken pieces aside as they brown.
Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.
Add the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt, adding more if needed. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 90 minutes (check after an hour), or until the chicken meat easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.
Remove the chicken pieces and set them in a bowl to cool, until cool enough to touch. Remove and discard the skin if you want, or chop it and put it back into the pot. Shred the meat off the bones and put the meat back in the pot.
Adjust the seasonings for salt and cayenne, then add as much black pepper as you think you can stand—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the cilantro and serve by itself, or with simple steamed rice.

Serves 6-8

Classic Rack of Lamb Recipe

2011-01-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

The cooking time depends on how big your rack of lamb is, and how rare you want it cooked. Rack of lamb should be cooked rare, or at most medium rare. The instructions are for a rack 1 1/2 to 2 pounds big. If you have a smaller roast (I've seen packages of just a pound), reduce the cooking time from 7 minutes to 5 minutes on 400, and use the lower end of the cooking time given at 300. If you are cooking multiple racks (unless you are doing a crown roast which is a different matter), lay them out separately on the pan, and estimate a roasting time based on just one rack, not the weight of the combined. Of course, use a meat thermometer! This is too lovely and tender a roast to risk overcooking.

1 or more Frenched* lamb rib racks with 7 to 8 ribs each (1 1/2 to 2 pounds for each rack, figure each rack feeds 2-3 people)
For each rib rack:
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
*Typically you will buy a rack of lamb already "Frenched", or cut so that the rib bones are exposed. You can also ask your butcher to french them for you. For directions on how to French them yourself, see How to French a Rack of Lamb.

Rub rib rack(s) all over with mixture of rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Place in a thick plastic bag with olive oil. Spread oil around so that it coats the lamb rack(s) all over. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag and seal. Place in a container so that if the bag leaks, the container catches the leak. If you want, place in the refrigerator overnight. Or, if you are not marinating overnight, let lamb rack(s) sit in the rub marinade as it comes to room temperature before cooking.
Remove lamb rack from refrigerator to 1-2 hours before you cook it so that it comes to room temp. (If the meat is not at room temperature it will be hard for it to cook evenly.)
Preheat oven to 400°F, arrange the oven rack so that the lamb will be in the middle of the oven. Score the fat, by making sharp shallow cuts through the fat, spaced about an inch apart. Sprinkle the rack all over with salt and pepper. Place the lamb rack bone side down (fat side up) on the pan. Wrap the exposed ribs in a little foil so that they don't burn.
Roast at 400°F for 7 minutes, then lower the heat to 300°F. Cook for 7-15 minutes longer (depending on the size of the lamb rack, or one of the lamb racks if you are cooking more than one), until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat 125°F on a for rare or 135°F for medium rare. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Cut lamb chops away from the rack by slicing between the bones. Serve 2-3 chops per person.

Quick Beef Stew with Mushrooms and White Beans Recipe

2011-01-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

4-5 ounces of cremini or button mushrooms, quartered

4-5 ounces some other fresh mushroom, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, etc.

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 medium onion, cut lengthwise into thin wedges

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/2 cup dry white or red wine (can sub beef or chicken broth)

16-ounce can small white beans (such as Great Northern, navy, or cannellini), rinsed, drained

14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained

Chopped parsley for garnish

1 Put a large skillet over high heat and add all the mushrooms. Shaking the pan from time to time to prevent the mushrooms from sticking, dry sauté them until they being to release their water. Keep cooking until the mushrooms begin to brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium-high. Brown the beef cubes in batches, turning to brown at least two sides of the meat. Remove from skillet, add to the bowl with the mushrooms and sprinkle salt over them.
Add the carrots and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and cook another 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and return the cooked beef and mushrooms to the pan. Continue cooking 3 more minutes.

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce Recipe

2011-01-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup chopped shallots

8-10 ounces mushrooms, cremini or shitake, thickly sliced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (light cream may curdle, so use heavy cream)

3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pieces pounded to an even 1/4 inch to 1/3 inch thickness

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté for one minute. Add mushrooms and parsley and sauté for 5-10 more minutes, until the mushrooms have browned. If you are using unsalted butter, sprinkle on a pinch of salt. Add vermouth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that may be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream. Bring to a boil and cook the sauce down until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes).
While the sauce is reducing, heat olive oil in another large sauté pan on medium high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breast cutlets. Add cutlets to pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.
Stir in sage to sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Serve alone (for low carb version) or with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta (use gluten-free for gluten-free version). We used bow-tie pasta which worked great. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Serves 4.

Apricot Chicken Recipe

2011-01-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

If you don't have fresh apricots, you can use a combo of dried pitted apricots and apricot jam. Chop up about a dozen dried apricots and add them, with a half cup of apricot jam, to the stock in step 4 (skipping steps 1 and 5).

1 1/2 pounds apricots, roughly chopped, pits removed and discarded

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces

Salt

1 Tbsp unsalted butter (can sub olive oil)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 cups chicken stock or broth (use gluten-free stock if you are cooking gluten-free)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce (you can add more if you like)

Black pepper

Place the chopped apricots in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and the vinegar. Let sit while you brown the chicken in the next step.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place chicken pieces in the pan, without crowding the pan, and brown them on each side. As the chicken cooks, sprinkle salt over it. Once the chicken is browned, remove the pieces from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. As the onion cooks and releases moisture, use a flat edged spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off the browned bits from the chicken (called fond) from the bottom of the pan.
Once the onions have browned a bit, add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium.
Put about 2/3 of the apricots, along with any juice they have given up, into a blender and blend into a purée. Pour the purée into the pan with the chicken stock and onions.
Add the cinnamon, rosemary and Tabasco and taste. You may need to add some salt. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10-20 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, put the chicken and the remaining apricot pieces into the pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with rice.
Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Beefy Vegetable-Barley Soup

2011-01-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Start to Finish: 8 Hours 50 Minutes
Servings: 6 (1 1/3 cups each)

1 ½ lb beef stew meat
½ cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
½ cup uncooked medium barley
2 cans (14 oz each) beef broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups Green Giant frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1. Cut beef into bite-size pieces if desired. In 3 ½ - to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except mixed vegetables.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

3. Add mixed vegetables. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 330 (Calories from Fat 120); Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 5g); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 880mg; Total Carbohydrate 22g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 28g

Asian Beef and Noodle Soup

2011-01-28T15:05:00.001-08:00

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 6 (1½ cups each)

3 oz uncooked cellophane noodles
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 ½ lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into bite-size strips
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 packages (about 3.5 oz each) fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups finely sliced bok choy
1 cup julienne strips (matchstick-size) carrots
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

1. In medium bowl, soak bundle of cellophane noodles in warm water 10 to 15 minutes or until softened; drain. Cut noodle bundle into thirds. Cover and set aside.

2. In 5- to 6-quart Dutch over, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef, garlic and mushrooms in oil 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until beef is no longer pink.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients except noodles and onions. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 14 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender.

4. Stir in noodles. Cover; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until noodles are hot. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 250 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 2g); Cholesterol 60mg; Sodium 250mg; Total Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 29g

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2011-01-27T17:32:00.000-08:00

Sweet and sour chicken is a very popular dish and there are several different ways to make it. In this recipe, black rice vinegar heightens the tartness of the sauce. Here is another recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken with lemon.

Makes 3 - 4 servings of sweet and sour chicken, or 4 - 6 as part of a meal

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup baby carrots
1 cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
1 garlic clove

Marinade:
2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp cornstarch
Batter:
1 - 2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 TB potato starch*

Sauce**:
4 1/2 TB rice vinegar
1 1/2 TB black rice vinegar
3/4 cup water
3 TB tomato paste
4 1/2 TB brown sugar
3/8 tsp chile sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 6 teaspoons water
3 1/4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying

Directions:
Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Marinate in the rice wine or sherry and cornstarch for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables: mince the garlic clove, peel and cut the cucumber into thin slices, and cut the red pepper into cubes. Chop the baby carrots. Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch the carrots briefly in the boiling water. Drain thoroughly.

In a small saucepan, add the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and keep warm.

To deep-fry the chicken: Preheat 3 cups of oil to 350 - 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While waiting for the oil to heat, brush the chicken cubes with the beaten egg and dip in the potato starch to cover. Deep-fry the dredged chicken pieces in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the wok. Deep-fry for 3 - 4 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

To deep-fry the chicken a second time if desired: bring the oil temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep-fry the chicken in batches, very briefly for less than a minute, until the chicken turns brown. Drain on paper towels.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the carrots. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the red peppers. Add the cucumber or save to use as a garnish. Bring the sauce back up to a boil and add to the wok, mixing with the vegetables. Add the chicken. Heat through and serve over rice. Garnish with the cucumber if desired.

*Cornstarch can be substituted for the potato starch

**This recipe is designed to make extra sauce for mixing in with the rice. It can easily be adjusted either up or down depending on how much sauce you want - just be sure to keep the proportions constant. For 3/4 lb of chicken, reduce quantities by 1/3 - ie. use 3 TB rice vinegar, 1 TB black rice vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 TB tomato paste, etc.

Slow Cooker Steak and Pasta Soup

2011-01-27T15:35:00.001-08:00

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 8 Hours 40 Minutes
Servings: 5 (1½ cups each)

1 lb boneless beef round steak, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 jar (26 to 28 oz) marinara sauce
2 ½ cups water
1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In 3 ½ - to 4-quart slow cooker, mix beef, marinara sauce and water.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

3. Stir in ravioli. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes until ravioli are tender. Sprinkle individual servings with chees.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 400 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 6g); Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 1370mg; Total Carbohydrate 36g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 30g

Slow Cooker Hearty Steak and Tater Soup

2011-01-27T15:28:00.001-08:00

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Start to Finish: 8 Hours 50 Minutes
Servings: 9 (1½ cups each)

1 lb boneless beef round steak
1 lb small red potatoes, cut into ¼ -inch slices (4 cups)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cans (14 oz each) beef broth
1 jar (6oz) Green Giant sliced mushrooms, undrained
½ cup water
½ cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

1. Cut beef into 1x ¼ -inch pieces. In 5-quart slow cooker, mix beef and remaining ingredients except water and flour.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.

3. Mix water and flour in small bowl; gradually stir into soup until blended. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 150 (Calories from Fat 20); Total Fat 2.5g (Saturated Fat 1g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 1200mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 15g

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup

2011-01-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Start to Finish: 6 Hours 45 Minutes
Servings: 6 (1½ cups each)

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
½ cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1 medium stalk celery, diced (1.2 cup)
2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
¼ cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

1. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

3. In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onion. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 410 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 9g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 1210mg; Total Carbohydrate 50g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 19g

Chicken Tortilla Soup II

2011-01-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Servings: 6 (1 cup each)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
5 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked

In a large stock pot heat oil. Add tortillas, garlic, cilantro and onion. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and chicken stock. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add salt and cayenne. Simmer for 30 minutes remove bay leaves and stir in chicken. Heat through and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup I

2011-01-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Prep Time: 35 Minutes
Start to Finish: 35 Minutes
Servings: 6 (1 cup each)

1 Carton (32 oz) chicken broth
1 cup Old El Paso Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2 to 2½ lb chicken)
¾ cup crushed tortilla chips
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Lime wedges, if desired

1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat broth, salsa and chicken to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, divide crushed chips among 6 serving bowls. Spoon hot soup over chips, then top with avocado, cheese and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 SERVING: Calories 330 (Calories from Fat 180); Total Fat 20g (Saturated Fat 8g); Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 1390mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 24g