Marinated, MOIST, Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
Posted: December 31, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tags: dijon mustard, grilled, marinated, moist, red wine vinegar, savory, terikyaki, turkey tenderloins, Worcestershire Sauce Leave a comment »
(Becky, the Mama.)
“What is Sue making for dinner?” I asked Greg on the way to our friend’s home for a patio supper.
“I think she said turkey tenderloins,” Greg answered.
I must admit, though I knew Sue Kennedy to be a fabulous cook, I prepared myself for the dry, tasteless poultry that turkey breast has always been in my previous experience. (Obviously, I’ve not yet perfected the art of a moist Thanksgiving bird yet!)
So when Sue and her husband Jason served us a beautiful piece of grilled, moist turkey tenderloin, loaded with flavor, I was in awe. Then I asked for seconds. And then I woke up thinking about it the next day – the sign of truly memorable meal.
“Okay, Sue, how did you turn turkey breast into meat butter?”
She sent me a recipe for marinade with lots of ingredients, but all of them were in my pantry. The tenderloins are best if you can marinate them for a few hours or overnight. Sue recommends using a digital meat thermometer to eliminate guesswork and avoid overcooking. (Eventually, I’m going to buy myself one of those gadgets.)
Turkey tenderloins typically come two to a package and are a little smaller than pork loins. In fact, they look a lot like chicken breasts, if the hen was named Dolly Parton. Two other benefits: this turkey is moist as can be, but has very little fat and is a great low-cal source of high quality protein. In addition, it is very affordable and the leftovers make fabulous sandwiches. (Try turkey, whipped cream cheese. green onions and cranberry sauce sandwiches!)
Don’t be too daunted by the list of ingredients: use what you have on hand and just substitute something similar if you are missing an ingredient or two. I have made a couple of tweaks to Sue’s recipe, and you can feel free to do the same and make it your own. Marinades are awfully forgiving. As long as you have something salty (salt, soy) something a little sweet (teriyaki, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup), something garlicky (fresh or powdered) and acidic (wine, vinegar, citrus juice) in the mix, it is probably going to be yummy!
Most of us are ready to get our health and our waistlines back in shape after the holidays, and this is a great recipe (under 170 calories in 3 oz serving)to put in your New Year file! I served these tenderloins pictured using the second grilling method in the recipe below. I roasted chunks of zuchhini, yellow squash, mushrooms and garlic with a little olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar for a side dish. Lip-smacking good meal!
Turkey Tenderloins
2 pound turkey breast tenderloins
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 t. hot sauce such as Tabasco
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 T. Worchestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup wine, beer or cola
• Grill or Steak Seasoning (enough to sprinkle both sides of tenderloins)
Directions
Sprinkle all sides of turkey will steak or grill seasoning. (Or salt and pepper.) In a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl with pourable “spout” – whisk all the ingredients for marinade. Pour 2/3 cup into a Ziplock bag; add turkey. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight, turning at least once more during that time. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
When ready to cook, discard marinade that is in the bag with the tenderloins, then proceed to cook using one of the following methods.
Outdoor Grill: Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 7-9 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
Alternative Indoor Method: Use a nonstick grill pan that has been generously coated with olive oil and grill tenderloins on both sides until dark golden brown grill marks appear.
Put in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook about 10 more minutes or until internal temp reaches 170 degrees. Remove from oven, immediately cover with foil to let juices redistribute before slicing. Heat reserved marinade to boiling in a small sauce pan and drizzle over the tenderloins.
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The Title:Marinated, Moist, Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
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Sesame Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce
Posted: October 21, 2012 Filed under: Asian Dishes, Chicken | Tags: asian chicken, chicken, coconut oil, dipping sauce, garlic, honey, molasses, sesame, soy, thai sweet chili 2 Comments »
(Becky, the Mama.)
One of my most-repeated cooking mottos is, “It’s all about the sauce.” Growing up in Texas, pot luck suppers often provided informal competitions for whose mama made the best Bar-B-Que Sauce or home-made Salsa. My palette was set for big flavors at a young age. And I am still like a kid when it comes to tasty dipping sauces.
One of my favorite flavor combinations are foods that use the following layers of flavor and texture: crunchy, spicy, savory, garlicky, tangy and sweet. A tall order, but I think I may have created the perfect irresistible dish that, as we say in the south, “has it ALL going on, ya’ll.”
These spicy oriental style chicken strips get an extra crisp texture by dipping them in a mixture of egg whites and siracha, then rolling in seasoned flour and cornstarch before pan-frying in healthy coconut oil.
And wait until you try this sweet garlicky sauce made with honey, soy and a touch of molasses. So easy and only has to be heated to a boil then simmered for a minute before serving, but the depth and layers of flavor is amazing.
Move over Colonel, I think I may have given a whole new defination to finger lickin’ good!
Sesame Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce
Serves 3 to 4 people
Ingredients:
½ to 1/3 c coconut oil (may substitute other oil, but this is my favorite)
12 chicken tenders (or breasts cut in 12 tender-sized slices)
2 egg whites
1 T. siracha (or Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce)
½ c. flour
½ c. cornstarch
1 ½ t. Tony’s Cajun Seasoning
1 t. steak or grill seasoning
1 T. sesame seeds (black or white, I used black
For sauce:
½ cup honey
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic grated
1 T. vinegar
1 T. molasses
1 T. sweet thai chili sauce
1 T. bourbon (may omit and sauce will still be delicious)
Directions:
Heat Oven to 250 degrees.
Melt about 1/3 to ½ cup coconut oil in a large skillet, so that there is about ¼ inch of oil in the pan. Heat to medium high.
Rinse and pat dry a dozen chicken tenders. Lightly salt and pepper them. In a side shallow bowl, mix egg whites and siracha sauce. In another bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, Cajun seasoning, grill seasoning and sesame seeds.
Using long tongs, dip tenders first in egg white mixture and then in dry flour mixture, then carefully in hot oil in skillet, about 6 at a time. Turn when golden brown and crispy on one side. Repeat on the other side. Put the first batch in a warm oven on a cookie sheet while waiting for next set of tenders to cook
In the meantime, in a saucepan, mix all the ingredients listed for the sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally, and then simmer for one more minute. Let cool a bit before pouring into small individual dipping bowls. Serve each person 3-4 chicken tenders about 3 T. of dipping sauce. We enjoy this meal with brown jasmine rice and colorful stir-fried veggies as a side dish. Fresh sliced pineapple makes the perfect dessert.
(Vegan variation: use a vegan chicken-substitute product, extra firm tofu or seitan instead of chicken. Substitute egg white with a 3 Tablespoons water mixed with 1 T. flax meal.)
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The Title: Sesame Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
“Healing” Panang Curry Soup
Posted: October 16, 2012 Filed under: Asian Dishes, Chicken, Seafood/Shrimp, Soups, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: coconut milk, curry, kale, mushrooms, panang, rainbow slaw, red curry, shitake, thai 1 Comment »
(Becky, the Mama.)
A sure-fire way to humble yourself is to announce: “I never (fill-in-the-blank)” publically. (Or worse, “My child will never…..”) And so when I declared, on Facebook that I almost never get sick, I should have known I was in for it.
For some unknown reason, for nearly a week, day after day, I forgot to take my daily regime of immune-boosting supplements (fish oil, odorless garlic, probiotics, super green food powder) and woke up one morning feeling as though I was swallowing razor blades.
I went on the attack with liberal doses of all my regular supplements above plus a couple of more exotic-sounding ones: olive leaf extract and astragalus. By mid-afternoon my throat had calmed considerably and by nightfall it did not hurt at all. (I did, however, get the standard stuffy head, runny nose bit – though, thankfully, without fever and it seems to be running its course fairly quickly.)
My husband was also out of town, so I had no choice but to “practice good self-care,” as my therapist friend Lucille would say. I took guilt-free naps, enjoyed hot eucalyptus-scented bubble baths and made myself quick and easy healing foods and drinks. (You can pre-order Lucille’s excellent book on self-care and get a free list of ways to take care of yourself at http://www.lucillezimmerman.com/book/.)
In addition to honey-sweetened white tea (more nutrition-packed than green tea) laced with fresh grated ginger, and sips of Feel Good Blueberry Smoothie, I made two pots of healing soup.
First, I made a classic home-style chicken soup, a super quick and easy recipe I’ll share in coming weeks. The other, is my new favorite “healing soup” – a Thai Panang Curry soup, rich with cancer-fighting and immune boosting antioxidants from the ginger and spices, cruciferous veggies, shitake mushrooms (which contain a compound called lentinan, shown to strengthen the immune system’s ability to fight infection and disease) and vitamin & mineral rich kale. Coconut milk, too, has healing properties. It contains lauric acid, antimicrobial lipids and capric acid, which have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
It was Lucille who introduced me to my first good Thai Panang curry , when she bought us both take-out containers of it during a working writer’s lunch. It was love at first bite. It hit all the strong flavor notes I crave: spice from the curry and ginger, slightly sweet and creamy from the coconut milk, a touch of tang from fresh lime, and salty-savory-earthy from the mushrooms, veggies and broth.
It sounds so exotic, but I do not make complicated recipes, especially when I’m fighting a cold, so trust me – this is quick and easy. Feel free to substitute any veggies you have on hand, or enjoy, in this basic recipe.
“Healing” Panang Curry Soup
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
1 ½ cups veggie broth (or chicken broth)
½ small jar Thai red curry (about 3 T – less if you prefer less spice) (This jar of curry is found in Asian section of most groceries now and is small, about the size of a baby food jar.)
1 t. fresh grated ginger (pinch of dried ginger if you don’t have fresh)
1 t. brown sugar
Soy sauce to taste
1 c. rainbow slaw (or broccoli slaw)
2/3 c. sliced mushrooms (I used shitake)
1 c. loosely packed, torn kale
2 sliced green onions
Slice of lime, cilantro (sprig or chopped) for garnish
Protein of your choice: grilled diced tofu, diced or shredded chicken; or cooked shrimp, 1/2 to 1 cup depending on preference. I use a small amount of chicken as I like the veggies taking center stage in this soup. You could also sprinkle in toasted peanuts for added protein.
Instructions:
Dump all the ingredients except the last three (onions, lime, cilantro) into a pot and simmer until veggies are tender but not mushy, add green onions and choice of protein, stir until everything is hot again. Ladle veggies and broth into each bowl, then garnish with a sprig of cilantro (or chop it up and sprinkle) and slice of lime to squeeze over and stir in right before eating.
Variation: To make a more traditional curry instead of soup, omit broth and serve over jasmine rice. Add slices of cooked sweet potato and pineapple for a creamy pineapple curry. To add heat, use a few drop of siracha sauce or thai chili paste.
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Pesto Parmesan Chicken
Posted: October 9, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegan Options | Tags: cheese, chicken, italian, marinara, panko, Parmagiano, Parmesan, pesto 5 Comments »
(Becky, the Mama.)
I was famished after a gym workout this week, and decided to grab a bite to eat on my way home. Cruising through the drive-through lane at Taco Bell, I placed my order for a taco. The voice on the intercom sounded confused, so I repeated my order again, louder and with more clarity. And that is when I actually looked at the menu and realized…. I was in line at Starbucks.
One of my Facebook friends quipped, “So did you ask them to make you a Taco Frappucino?”
Granted, there is nothing appealing about the thought of a Taco Frappucino, but you’d be surprised at how many of my favorite recipes are created because of accidents. Or because I am hungry for a particular something, but out of an ingredient or two, so try to make due with substitutes. Time and again, the substitute often proves to be an improvement on the original recipe.
Such is the case with today’s recipe. Typically, when I make Chicken Parmesan, I use thin cutlets. What I had on hand was a couple of monster size breasts (Yes, my husband could not keep himself from making a few jokes about that) and I was in too much of a hurry to pound them thin.
Secondly, I often dip the cutlets in egg whites and grated garlic before rolling in Panko crumbs and Parmesan. Alas, nary an egg or a clove of garlic anywhere in the house.
That is when I spied a large jar of pesto that I’d purchased at Sam’s Club (it is surprisingly tasty, some of the best purchased pesto I’ve tried). One thing led to another and I ended up covering the breasts with pesto, then rolling them in Panko and grated Parmesan cheese. What we ended up with, eventually, was the best Chicken Parm I’ve ever made. In fact, it was the best Chicken Parmagiano I’ve ever eaten. The chicken inside stayed incredibly tender and when you cut through it, you could see the pretty layer of green pesto, golden Panko, red marinara and white cheese. Now that’s amore.
Pesto Parmesan Chicken
Serves 2 people (with big appetites)
Ingredients
2 large boneless chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper (to taste, to sprinkle lightly on chicken)
2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite bottled brand or homemade)
¼ cup fresh or grated mozzarella
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. butter
1/2 cup Pesto
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Heat Oven to 400 degrees
Instructions:
Heat the marina in a saucepan until hot.
Put olive oil and butter in a large oven proof skillet and heat to medium high.
Rinse and pat boneless chicken breasts dry. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Put pesto in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl mix Panko and ½ c. Parmesan cheese. Lay chicken breasts, one at a time, into pesto first, coating both sides of breast and edges thoroughly, and then in Panko-Parm mixture, coating both sides and edges of breasts thoroughly again.
Saute the breasts on both sides until the coating is crispy and golden. You may have to add a little more oil depending on size of breasts and your pan. (Drain off excess oil, if there is a lot of it, before putting in oven.)
Then put the entire skillet into the oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and ladle each breast with ¼ cup marinara, 2 T. mozzarella and 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken breast is cooked but not overly so. (A meat thermometer is helpful here, but if you don’t have one, just cut through the middle of one of the breasts to check for doneness.)
Before serving ladle each breast with more marinara and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. This dish is excellent served with a side of angel hair pasta that has been tossed in a little pesto.
Variation: Use thinner chicken breasts or pound smaller chicken breasts thin. Put sauce and cheese on immediately after pan frying, and cook in oven only until cheese melts.
Vegetarian or Vegan Variation: Use a vegan chicken patty (such as Gardien brand frozen chick’n scallopini), tofu, tempeh or seitan instead of chicken breasts. Use or make a vegan pesto (omit the parm cheese in most pesto recipes). The cooking time in the oven following pan-frying may not be needed at all, or just cook for a few minutes with tomato sauce and cheese. Vegans can serve without cheese, or use vegan versions of mozzarella and Parm on top.
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The Title: Pesto Parmesan Chicken
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Roasted Cabbage & Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Posted: September 18, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Pork, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: balsamic, cabbage, chicken sausage, honey, roasted, sausages 4 Comments »
Roasted Cabbage, Sausage and Honey Balsamic Glaze
(Becky, the Mama.)
Cooking or contemplating new recipes has always, for me, been the perfect Angst-Free Zone. I started copying and collecting recipes from my mother and grandmother when I was ten or eleven years old, painstakingly printing them by hand and tucking them into my $1.00 dime store metal recipe box. This activity was pure pleasure for me, an escape from summer boredom and a refuge from bad days at school.
With the election and crazy world events of late, there seems to be debates or conflict or pressure to “believe what I believe!” at every turn. The phone rings in the evenings with political calls; TV ads blare about Whose Fault Everything Is; and even Facebook, normally an Angst Free Zone for me, now feels like one of those awkward family conflicts that you happen to walk in on, and can’t wait to escape from.
So it was with a huge grin that I spied this little e-card on a friend’s Facebook page:
That’s me! I’m just over here in my Angst-Free Kitchen Corner saying, “Hey! I made cabbage!” Although, I must say it was really, really great cabbage. Sliced in thick steak-like slices and slathered with butter and seasoning. Then served with grilled chicken-apple sausages and drizzled with a honey-balsamic reduction.
Every good hostess knows that the best way to break up an awkward family debate is to divert attention by cooking something that smells amazing, and looks so delicious that all conversation stops, as wordless lip-licking and tummy-rubbing take over. This is one of those simple, delicious, comforting meals that could possibly bring about World Peace. At least at your dining table.
Roasted Cabbage & Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
4 chicken-apple sausage links (I used Johnsonville. Of course you can use any kind of sausage links you like in this recipe. Or for vegans, try Rachel’s favorite vegan sausage: Smoked Apple Sage Field Roast Sausages)
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. honey
Grill Seasoning or Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Slice cabbage in 3/4 inch pieces as shown below.
Put olive oil and butter on a large baking sheet, and place in the oven for a minute until butter melts. Using a pastry brush, mix the oil and butter together and spread evenly on pan. Lay the cabbage pieces on the buttered-oiled pan, leaving space between each piece. Dip pastry brush into excess oil-butter surrounding the cabbage slices, and brush the tops of the cabbage.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper or grill seasoning, lightly. Put in oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom turns dark brown in places. With a wide spatula, turn over, and sprinkle this side with salt and pepper or grill seasoning as well. Return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until as soft as you like it.
In a small saucepan, mix the vinegar, honey and garlic together and stir over a low flame. Cut sausages in half, lengthwise and brush the cut sides with some of the balsamic mixture.
Put on oiled grill pan, cut side down and grill until nice dark grill marks appear and sausage is sizzling hot. Turn over and heat the other side.
In the meantime allow the balsamic mixture to continue to simmer (at medium to medium high heat) until it is reduced by half, and syrupy.
Arrange the cabbage slices with two sausage halves on plate as shown in picture. Drizzle both cabbage and sausage, prettily, with about a tablespoon of balsamic reduction. Serve. (I added a little side of chunky hash browns as well in photo below.)
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The Title: Roasted Cabbage, Sausage with Honey Balsamic Glaze
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes
Posted: August 6, 2012 Filed under: Beef, Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Uncategorized, Vegan Options | Tags: artichokes, chicken, Italian salami, pasta, sundried tomatoes, Vegan Pastas, vodka sauce Leave a comment »
Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes
One of my friends, Shirley, who knows me well, posted this picture on her facebook page and said it reminded her of one special person, and wondered if that person might recognize herself. I saw it and immediately claimed it.
If you saw our first post on this blog, you know that I’m famous for burning food. I am a good cook, but I just get distracted easily. So the smoke alarm, for many years, was often our dinner bell. One day my eldest son Zach walked into the kitchen as it was billowing with smoke pouring out of the oven. “Mmm mmmm mmm,” he said, “Smells like mom’s home cooking!”
When my second born, Zeke, was about five-years old, I made him a perfectly browned piece of toast. He took it, walked to the trash can and started automatically scraping it with a knife. “Zeke, Honey,” I said, “You don’t have to scrape it today. I didn’t burn it this time!” He looked at me, his eyes wide, and said, “Oh, I thought we always have to whittle our toast.”
Once when my youngest son Gabe was about twelve, he was home from school, feeling sick. I decided to make him some breakfast and put a pan of bacon on the burner to cook. Then I promptly forgot about it and went to take a nice long bubble bath. If it were not for Gabe’s quick action with baking soda and a pan lid, my kitchen could have easily gone up in flames.
Having heard these stories, and seen enough of my absent-mindedness up close, my husband Greg now hovers near when I cook, constantly asking if I remembered to turn off the stove and oven, ready to spring into action at the slightest smell of smoke. My children would agree that I needed, “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Especially in the kitchen. With Greg on the job, they all rest easier.
Today’s recipe is one that I created last week, and I am pleased to report that no kitchen cabinets were burned and no innocent food was scorched in the creation of this dish.
This easy vodka pasta sauce turned out creamy and delicious with lots of flavor layers going on, from the thin salty pieces of Italian salami to the nice bite of the tomatoes and artichokes, to the smoothness of the melted cheese. I learned to make a simple pasta sauce from a New York-Italian friend of mine: it was just lots of fresh grated garlic, a few chopped fresh tomatoes, and about ½ cup of creamy cheese, like a brie or soft Buffalo mozzarella or even cream or goat cheese (or a combination). You simply melt it all together over low heat, and pour over pasta. This sauce springs from that basic idea, but I’ve fancied it up a bit.
Vodka Sauce with Chicken, Italian Salami and Artichokes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
¼ c. thin Italian style salami diced (any hard salami can be substituted)
1/2 c chopped artichoke hearts (mine were canned in water)
¼ c chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 c. soft white cheese (brie, fresh mozzerela, cream cheese or goat cheese — or a combination)
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ - 1/2 c. vodka (according to your taste)
1 c. crushed tomatoes or 1 c. fresh tomatoes whirled in blender until as chunky as you’d like in your sauce
1 t. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 cup chopped or shredded cooked or roasted chicken
Fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Pasta of your choice, cooked al dente (save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce) to serve four people
Directions:
While the pasta is cooking (according to package directions), chop the salami and render out the fat in a skillet until it has crisped a little.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the chicken, basil and Parmesan) and stir over medium heat until the cheese melts.
Sauce ingredients tossed in pan ready to be stirred and heated
Add pasta water until it is the sauce is at desired thickness. Finally, add chicken and stir until heated through. Serve over pasta, and garnish with Parmesan cheese and ribbons of fresh basil.
Vegetarian Option: Substitute roasted chick peas for meat and add 1 t. smoked paprika
Vegan Option: Sub roasted chick peas for meat, add 1 t. smoked paprika and sub vegan cream cheese like Tofutti for cheeses
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Posted: July 16, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Gluten Free, Mexican Dishes, Soups, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: beans, chicken tortilla soup, corn, meals for a crowd, mexican soup, vacation, vegan, vegetarian tortilla soup Leave a comment »
Becky’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
(The Mama)
Greg and I are in Neskowin, Oregon this week — a tiny little beach town with impossibly cute houses surrounded by brilliantly colored flowers, some blossoms as big as dinner plates. I hit the beach cooking, barely having time to gather in a car load of groceries before cooking dinner for a dozen on Saturday night (sour cream chicken enchiladas). Yesterday, I cooked lunch for 22 of Greg’s extended family members dropping by to hug, share stories and sit a spell between strolls to the beach. Greg lost both of his parents when they were just in their 50′s (our age!) so connections to them now — people and places — are doubly meaningful. Since Greg and his siblings were young, Neskowin was the family vacation spot and is where all of them return to, as Greg says, “fill our souls.” So while they are filling their souls, I am filling their tummies.
For the lunch crowd, I served sandwiches and tortilla soup, with blueberry-raspberry bars for dessert. It was perfect for a cool, foggy day at the beach, huddled up with people we love. Plus it makes a bunch!!
Becky’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
Becky’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
1 seeded red bell pepper
1/2 red onion
3 cloves garlic
2 t. poultry seasoning
2 t. cumin
1 T. brown sugar
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (medium to hot heat level), available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market.*
1 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, divided in half
4 cups chicken or veggie broth (divided 1 and 3)
3 to 4 cups roasted chicken, pulled off bone and diced or shredded ( roasted chickens are available in most grocery delis)
1 cup frozen corn
1 zucchini, dice
steak or grill seasoning (or salt and pepper), to taste
1/4 cup bar-b-que sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Topping Options:
crushed tortilla chips
grated cheese
chopped green onions
diced avocados
sour cream or Greek Yogurt
wedges of fresh lime
cilantro
Directions
In a blender or food processor put the first seven ingredients (bell pepper through chipotles), half of the crushed tomatoes, and one cup of broth. Blend well.
Pour this mixture into big soup pot and add the rest of the crushed tomatoes and broth.
To this add frozen corn, chicken, and zucchini.
Simmer over medium heat until zucchini is tender and soup is heated through. Season with Steak or Grill Seasoning (or salt and pepper) to taste. To make a creamier soup, you can add 1/2 cup of cream.
To serve, put a handful of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup blow. Carefully ladle on soup, then top with your choice of toppings.
Vegetarian Version: Use veggie broth, pinto, ranch or black beans in place of chicken. Vegans omit cheese and cream
*I keep the leftover Chipotles in Adobo Sauce in a small Ziploc bag in the freezer and break off what I need to add depth of flavor and heat to other Mexican dishes.
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The Title: Chicken Tortilla Soup
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved
Better-than-Restaurant Chicken Tenders
Posted: June 29, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan Options | Tags: best ever chicken fingers, Buffalo chicken fingers, Buffalo Chicken Salad, Buffalo chicken tenders, Buffalo Ranch Dressing, celery, chicken fingers, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, homemade chicken fingers, Honey Mustard Dressing, Paula Deen Leave a comment »
In a couple of weeks we’re headed to family beach vacation in Neskowin, Oregon. I’m truly looking forward to it; however, this is one of those vacations where there will be lots of family rooming in close quarters. This is fun for a short run, but usually after the third day of this, people began longing for their own space and some start to get a wee bit cranky. It’s a challenge for humans to stay gracious when they lose their normal personal space. One of my friends, author Charlene Baumbich, confessed after three days of being cooped up with a bunch of women on a retreat: “I’m running out of nice.”
I was visiting on the phone with my daughter Rachel about this subject yesterday. She is heading to a week of family vacation to a Florida beach –with all the joys and challenges of being in close quarters for a week with lots of people. And an active baby.
“Just in case you start feeling closed-in, I’ll share how I handled it our last vacation to Neskowin,” I told her. “ I knew I was about to get cranky. I’d been cooking and cleaning and babysitting nonstop, and was getting exhausted from all this ‘vacationing.’ And I was PMSing. So I went to the tippy top floor, which was three stories high, stepped out on the deck and took a deep breath. I looked out at the ocean and breathed and prayed until I felt calm. Then I turned to go back inside because the air was turning quite chilly. And that is when I realized I’d accidentally locked the door behind me.”
“What did you do?” Rachel asked.
“Well, I hollered and screamed but to no avail. Everyone was in the living room watching a movie, on the first floor. So I gingerly stepped over the banister and jumped to the roof below. Then I reached back and grabbed a plastic lawn chair and tossed it off the roof in front of the picture window in the living room, hoping someone would notice.”
“Did they?”
“Well, it took two deck chairs and one lounge chair, but eventually someone noticed it was raining lawn furniture and came to my rescue.”
“So what you are saying, Mom, is that the moral of this story is that if I should start to feel cranky or closed in, I should simply climb on the roof and start throwing lawn furniture off of it.”
“Yes. Pretty much. Trust me, it helps.”
I’m so glad I can be there to give seasoned wisdom to my daughter based on my many years of hard-earned experience.
In addition to that piece of advice that you are also now free to use at will on your family summer vacation, I will also share a recipe that is Greg’s all-time favorite vacation food: chicken fingers. He thinks mine are better than any restaurant version and I know they are at least slightly healthier. I use one of Paula Deen’s secrets to the best fried chicken in the south: dipping the chicken in a mixture of eggs and Hot Buffalo Sauce. You’d think the tenders would turn out fire engine hot, but they aren’t hot at all, just amazingly flavorful and tender.
I like to serve these crunchy chicken fingers atop a salad to beef up the nutrition and add some fiber. Vegans, like Rachel, can do follow same method using firm tofu, omitting the eggs. Tofu takes on a whole new yummy crunch when battered and pan fried. (Of course, so do rubber bands and shoe leather.)
And if this dish doesn’t turn out well for you, you can always climb on the roof and throw it out on the lawn. It is a marvelous stress reliever. I guarantee it.
Better-Than-Restaurant Chicken Tenders (Over a Salad with Buffalo Ranch Dressing)
Better-than-Restaurant Chicken Tenders
Pre-heat Oven to 300 degrees
Ingredients
1 to 1.25 pounds chicken tenders (or chicken breasts, sliced in “fingers”)
1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 t. Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Cachere’s brand) or other seasoned salt that has paprika or chili pepper
1 t. grill or steak seasoning (or 1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper)
Healthy oil of your choice to make 1/4 inch deep in your favorite skillet (I use a combination of olive oil and coconut oil)
Directions:
Heat oil over medium high heat or flame.
In a low shallow bowl mix hot sauce and eggs.
Mix together eggs and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce — Paula Deen’s secret to her famous fried chicken
In another similar bowl, mix flour with seasonings. Using tongs, dip the chicken tenders, a few a time, first in hot sauce/eggs, then roll in seasoned flour.
Dip tenders first in mixture of hot sauce and eggs, then in flour seasoned with Cajun Seasoning and Grill Seasoning
Place tenders in oil and when golden brown on one side, flip to cook the other side. Place first batch on a cookie sheet and keep warm in oven while you finish pan-frying the rest of the tenders. I only put 4 to 5 tenders in the skillet at one time.
Only pan fry 4 or 5 tenders at a time.
Put pan-fried tenders on baking sheet and keep in warm oven until you’ve cooked all the batches.
Taste one as soon as they are cool enough to touch. If it needs more salt, sprinkle them lightly with a bit more Cajun seasoning. (If you love hot hot tenders you can also sprinkle them with more red hot sauce at this point.)
These are awesome just as they are served with your favorite dipping sauce or sauces. I typically serve them atop a salad with one of the following quick dressings:
Buffalo Ranch: 2 parts Ranch dressing with 1 part Buffalo Sauce. (For one big salad, I mix about 1/4 cup light Ranch dressing with 2 T. buffalo sauce)
Honey Mustard Ranch: Two parts Ranch Dressing with 1 part mustard and 1 part honey. (For one big salad I mix 1/4 cup light Ranch dressing with 1 T. mustard and 1 T. honey.)
Variation: If I have leftover chicken tenders, I like to heat them up for lunch the next day, then cut them in small pieces, toss them in a little Buffalo sauce, and serve with a bed of chopped celery, sprinkled with a bit of crumbled blue cheese or feta, and top with Buffalo Ranch Dressing. It’s like eating chicken wings…. with a fork! Really good with a little side of watermelon to cut the heat.
Leftover chicken tenders cut in bite-size pieces, tossed in buffalo sauce, served over a bed of celery with feta cheese crumbles and buffalo ranch dressing. Mmmm, mmmmm spicy, crunchy, yummy lunch!
Veganize It: Substitute slices of firm tofu, and omit the eggs. Proceed with recipe.
Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Posted: May 21, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Mexican Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan Options, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: enchiladas, Mexican Food, sour cream chicken enchiladas, vegan enchiladas, vegetarian enchiladas, veggie enchiladas 1 Comment »
Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
(Becky)
My sweet grandmother Nonny raised seven children during the Depression in the dust bowl of West Texas. She somehow managed this through prayer and love, hard work and creative frugality. Leftover biscuit crumbs would be saved and turned into bread pudding. Precious scraps of meat were collected and added to the ever-simmering pot of red beans. (A staple my mother ate so often that it took her decades to make friends with beans again.) Even in her old age when finances eased and groceries were more abundant than people under her roof, Nonny horded every little leftover to be “re-purposed” into the next day’s meal.
We all laugh about the Thanksgiving when someone spotted a little dab of food on Nonny’s kitchen floor. A bit of stray stuffing, perhaps? “What is that?” my Aunt Etta asked, peering at the blob. To which Nonny quipped, “I don’t know. But wrap it in Saran and save it.”
Our generation has just survived its own recession (some surviving better than others), and recent stats show that Americans gained a new appreciation for cooking at home. And for not being wasteful with the food we buy. To make good use of all those leftovers, everyone needs a good Clean Out the Fridge recipe. Pastas and stews are wonderful for this. But my absolute favorite way to use leftovers is the following recipe for veggie sour cream chicken enchiladas.
If I have a dozen corn tortillas, I can usually cobble together the ingredients for this meal from the bits and pieces of leftovers in my fridge. The key is to think creatively and use what you have. No sour cream? Try a little Ranch Dressing and Greek Yogurt instead. If you don’t have the veggies I use in this recipe, use what you have! Any kind of squash, mushrooms, shredded carrots, greens, in almost any combo will be wonderful. Any combination of cheeses taste great in this recipe, so use up those little bits of leftovers. All beans will work well, too. Heck, you can even use ground beef in this dish and call it “chicken.” I’m easy. Just have fun, use this recipe as a basic guide, and get rid of those leftovers in a tasty way!
*Note to Vegetarians: Omit chicken and sub more beans or other non-meat protein.
**Vegans: In addition to omitting chicken, use Rachel’s recipe for cashew queso, instead of the cheese sauce. Make it on the thin side as it will thicken up during cooking. Omit cheese in filling and for topping. It will still be wonderful!
Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Becky’s Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Makes a dozen enchiladas, serves six
Note: You’ll need 2 1/3 cups grated cheese, total in this recipe — some for cheese sauce, some for filling, and some for sprinkling on top.
Cheese Sauce:
¼ cup olive oil (or butter, or Earth Balance)
¼ cup flour
½ onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 ½ c. veggie broth (or chicken broth)
2/3 cup sour cream (I had Mexican crema and Greek yogurt leftover and used a combo of this instead. It was delish in the dish. I’ve subbed a mixture of ranch dressing and cream before. Just look for something white and creamy in your fridge and call it “sour cream”!)
1 1/3 c. shredded white cheddar or Monterrey Jack (Any white cheese will do – I emptied the fridge with a mixture of provolone, Swiss and white cheddar and tossed in a little feta for good measure.)
1 small can of green chilis, diced (you can sub 2 T. chopped pickled jalapeños or even chopped olives or pepperoncinis)
Filling
2/3 c. shredded white cheddar cheese (or any mixture of cheeses you have on hand)
1 to 1 1/2 c. shredded or diced cooked chicken (Love left-over rotisserie chicken for this, uses up all those little pieces after the family attacks the breasts and thighs and it looks like the buzzards got to it.)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained (I didn’t rinse, feel free to if you prefer. Use another kind of beans if you’d rather.)
1 ½ cups chopped fresh spinach
½ cup corn (frozen, canned and drained…. tonight, I cut the kernels off a leftover piece of corn-on-cob)
1 tomato, diced (red pepper would also work instead)
1/2 t. Mexican or Cajun seasoning (Or chili powder, salt and pepper)
12 corn tortillas
1/3 c. grated cheese for final topping
Dash smoked paprika
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees
Sauce:
Saute onions and garlic in oil in skillet on medium high until transparent. Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over all, and stir to make a roux. Pour in veggie broth slowly, and stir over heat as it thickens. Turn down heat, then toss in cheese (1 1/3 c.) and stir until it is melted, stirring so as not to burn. Add drained green chilis. Simmer on low for a couple of more minutes to let flavors mingle, then turn off heat.
Cheese sauce, ready to pour over stuffed tortillas
Filling:
Mix 2/3 cup white cheddar, chicken, black beans, spinach, corn, tomato and seasonings in a large bowl. Check seasonings and adjust to your taste.
Veggie, chicken, cheese filling
Tortillas:
Wrap tortillas, six at a time in a large damp paper towel. Microwave about 30 seconds to one minute until tortillas are moist, soft and pliable.
Tortillas, wrapped in wet paper towel, six at a time, nuked until pliable
Assemble:
Fill each corn tortilla with about ¼ c of filling. Roll and place seam side down in an 11 by 13 ovenproof pan that has been sprayed lightly with oil. Continue this until the pan is filled. Carefully pour entire pan of cheese sauce over top, evenly. (It is okay if sauce is a little thin, as it will bake and thicken.) Sprinkle top with 1/3 cup more of white cheese, and about a tablespoon of chopped jalapenos if you like. I like a sprinkle of smoked paprika for color.
Enchiladas going into oven
Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted, and top turns golden around the edges. (Sometimes I broil the top for a minute to get it a bit more golden.)
Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, just out of the oven
Garnish with diced avocados and tomatoes. Serve with side of rice. (I love a good brown and wild rice mix, with a bit of lime and chopped cilantro with this dish.)
Veggie Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Veggie Sour Cream Enchiladas
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-jG
Peachy Balsamic Chicken
Posted: May 4, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan Options | Tags: apricot, balsamic vinegar, chicken 3 Comments »
My daughter Rachel posted a story about her “nesting instinct” gone wild in the kitchen this week. I am now close to menopause but my husband would swear that I have the strongest nesting instinct of any woman who has ever lived. And the most quirky one. The thing is, my nesting instinct is to make a literal ‘pack rat’s nest’ out of our bed.
Every night Greg climbs into bed and hands me various and sundry items he finds on and under the bedspread. Last night it was a camera. (Before you get the wrong idea: I was posting pics of food on my blog.) There is always the standard computer, books, paper and pen, eye glasses, but other items that have made their way into our bed-nest include, but are not limited to: earrings, scissors, credit cards, clocks, various food stuffs, Legos, lost keys and checks. Greg actually loves to find things: looking for lost golf balls and coins makes him happy. I am sure he was a champion Easter Egg hunter as a little boy. So he rather gets a kick out of what unusual items he finds each night, nestled among the sheets and blankets.
Last night I was in the bathtub when I heard Greg shout, with a Eureka!-like tone in his voice: “I just found your running shoe under the covers a the bottom of the bed!”
When I happened upon this recipe, a variation of one that Rachael Ray made on her show, I was almost as thrilled as Greg was to find my missing shoe in the bed. It’s definitely a “Eureka!” dish. Very few ingredients, very little time, very inexpensive and the sauce is so scrumptious, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. I made this twice for two different groups of girlfriends, serving it alongside risotto and a a crisp salad. They lapped it up! Another of my best “go-to” recipes, this one yields lots of praise and requests for the recipe, for so little effort on the cook’s part.
Peachy-Balsamic Glazed Chicken
Becky’s Peachy Balsamic Chicken
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
2 T. olive oil
6-7 boneless chicken thighs
grill or steak seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt)
1/2 c. chicken or vegie broth
1/4 c. aged balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. peach preserves or jam (or try orange marmalade, cherry or apricot jam/ preserves if you prefer)
1 T. grainy mustard (or hot Chinese mustard)
1/3 c. chopped green onions for garnish
Lightly season both sides of chicken pieces with your favorite seasoned salt. In a hot large skillet with about 2 T. olive oil, saute and brown boneless chicken pieces on high heat until both sides are golden brown and chicken is cooked through. (You may want to turn down heat and cook with a lid on top if the chicken doesn’t get done in the middle, after the searing.) Remove pieces at this stage on to a platter and cover to keep warm.
In same skillet, pour in chicken broth, balsamic vinegar and peach preserves and mustard, stirring to loosen all the good bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium high. When the sauce is reduced and syrupy, add chicken pieces in, coating both sides as you lay them in the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickened a bit more and chicken is hot. Garnish with chopped green onions. (Apologies — no green onions on hand, so none in this picture. But they are truly wonderful, so add them if you’ve got them!)
Vegan Variations: This glaze, above, is fabulous drizzled over a dish of roasted butternut squash and walnuts or sauteed tofu. Just sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Peachy Balsamic Chicken
The URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/05/04/apricot-balsamic-glazed-chicken
Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
