First times with Chicken

I love the smell of a chicken cooking (boiling) on the stove. It is such a home-y smell! Today was a day like that - kinda rainy and dreary outside (but at least warmer) and basketball on the tv (reminds me of a Shenandoah song).

But, I made some Gumbo (from the April Everyday Food), some Chicken and Dumplins with peas, Chicken salad (and some hummus, but it didn't have chicken in it).

Chicken Gumbo (I will have to make some rice for it, because right now it is a little too oil-y for me because there was no rice in it to drink up the roux)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup flour

2 red peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 frozen bag cut okra

1 pkg fully cooked andouille sausage

4 cups cooked chicken

4 cups water or broth

Heat oil and stir together flour till milky consistency. Add veggies (not yet for the okra) and saute till softened, about 10 minutes. Then add the broth (I did 2 cups broth, 2 cups water), okra, and sausage. Bring to boil and then add chicken. Warm through. Very easy for a 30 minute gumbo recipe. I added some red pepper flakes and hot sauce (because gumbo is supposed to be spicy).

Chicken and Dumplins (Healthy style) Can you believe I was raised in the south and never made chicken and dumplins - I was so deprived! But on the suggestion - I had to make it to see if I could do it! The gravy part it makes is so yummy and comfort food! :)

Chicken broth with bones, chicken chunks

1 1/2 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup ap)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

large pinch of parm cheese

3 T cold butter

3/4 cup milk

mix dry, cut in butter, add milk and parm cheese. Drop into boiling broth by little pinches (I rolled mine into balls). Boil for 10 minutes, then cover and boil for 15 more. I added about 1 cup frozen peas into mine as well. First time making them and I thought they were pretty tasty! You can definitely tell I used whole wheat flour - but they were filling! Oh, I got the basic dumplin recipe out of Betty Crocker's cookbook (I experimented with the flour, parm cheese, and peas).

Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Lemon

Well, its almost Spring here in L-ville.
Bobby gave me some lemons from his tree when I was home last so I had to use them. We bought some asparagus since it is in season, and I had some arborio rice (which I love), so I found a recipe - and tweaked it some of course. It is so creamy - without being totally fattening!
1 48oz box low-sodium ff chicken broth (keep heated on separate burner)
olive oil
1/2 onion - finely chopped
1 1/4 cup arborio rice
1 lemon - zested
1 bunch of asparagus, cut on a slant
juice of half of a lemon
1 T butter
1/3 cup parm cheese

Saute onion in oil. Add rice till coated in oil. Add zest to rice. Add asparagus. Add broth 1 cup at a time (and keep adding when liquid has gone away). Keep stirring until all broth is used. Add butter, lemon juice, and parm cheese. Stir and serve either as meal or side dish!

Cranberry-Orange Oats Pancakes

Mom gave me a Prevention magazine and I found one recipe out of two magazines that I liked. I made them tonight and they were delicious. I would tend to make these during the fall and winter, because of the flavors - but they were yummy for Lisa and I on this almost spring, sorta rainy day. They have fiber in them too, so they are very filling!

Cranberry-Orange Oats Pancakes

1 cup oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ap flour

1/4 packed brown sugar

1 heaping T baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup oj (I used 4 oranges I had in the house) with my relatively new squeezer from W-S which I love!

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil (these are those healthy fats)

3/4 cup craisins

Mix dry, add wet in, fold in craisins - cook! I loved them!

Cooking with Mom - Spinach Lasagna

I finally was allowed to cook a meal for my parents while they were here, so Mom and I put together a spinach lasagna recipe that I got from a dear friend in St. Augustine. Martha Shinn, youth ministry professor extraordinaire, made this lasagna for a bunch of single girls in Young Life one Valentine's Day. It was amazing. So, I've made it ever since. Dad loved it - said he could have eaten the whole pan - that's great because he's lost so much weight! Will power!

Spinach Lasagna
1 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce (I use prego)
1 cup water
2 egg whites
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and very well drained
1 16 oz container red-fat small curd cottage cheese
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
pepper to taste
8 oz lasagna noodles
1 package 2% grated mozz cheese
Mix sauce and water - set aside. Mix the rest (through the pepper). In 9x13 layer in starting with sauce - then noodles - then spinach - repeat. Top with sauce. Refrigerate overnight. Top with mozz cheese and some parm/romano, etc. Bake covered for 1 hour at 375. I take the lid off with about 10 minutes left to brown the cheese a little more. Fantastic! Serve with a salad and bread!

Cooking with Mom - Cranberry-Apple Rice Pudding

My Mom is a great chopper! :) And these apples I got to pick in White Plains, NY when I was up there during peak apple season...

I wanted to make this because you can make it halfway healthy and my Dad loves rice pudding, so we'll see what he thinks of this. And I get to use the crockpot while I cook other things.

Cranberry-Apple Rice Pudding

3 cups cooked brown rice (1 cup to 2.5 cups of water)

1 apple, diced

1/2 cup craisins

1 tsp vanilla

1 can each ff condensed milk and evaporated milk

Spray crockpot with pam. Stir all ingredients together. Cook on low for 3.5 hours or until all the liquid is evaporated. I serve it with some ff cool whip.

Cooking with Mom - Roasted Vegetable Stew

My parents are in town this weekend. I had my mom find a recipe we could make - she picked this. Enjoy - it was really good - but a two person recipe (for all the chopping)

Roasted Root Vegetable Stew

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped beets

I cup chopped turnips

1 cup chopped parsnips

12 shallots - peeled and halved

1 garlic head - peeled, cloved

olive oil

fresh parsley and sage (about 2 tsp each)

2 tsp chopped, minced fresh ginger

3 cups veggie broth

s/p to taste

topping - sour cream

Roast first 7 ingredients on a sheet pan at 450 for 30 minutes. Take out and put the rest and the veggies in a dutch oven over medium heat for 30 minutes. When done, I mashed up all the veggies with a potato masher - or you could use an immersion blender. Great color and good taste - the roasting of the veggies brings out the sweetness of it. Mom and Dad both liked it and it will serve as leftovers this week.

Fast, Healthy Italian Chicken

I brought out the Cooking Light Cookbook to try to make something healthy and good. Found this recipe. It actually tastes really good! I put mine over some leftover quinoa but you could use brown rice or whole wheat pasta, or even risotto or polenta - any would be great.

Italian Chicken with Chickpeas

1 lb chicken tenderloins

3 turns of olive oil

garlic powder, oregano, s/p for chicken

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 can diced italian tomatoes

1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained

Cook the chicken until half way done. Then add the rest, turn on low to simmer until chicken is done and tomato mixture is heated through.

How easy, fast, and yummy is this!

Healthy Waffles (that taste good too)

I thought I would try this new recipe for a healthy waffle to see how it tasted. Who knows, right?
Some waffles I could eat by themselves, not these. They were very good (and slightly nutty and crunchy) with syrup - but I couldn't eat them without some sort of fruit sauce or syrup.
I got these out of a cookbook at the right - Family Favorites Made Lighter

1 cup flour (you could probably make it with whole wheat pastry flour or 1/2 regular, 1/2 whole wheat) - just have to play with it some to get the consistency right
3 tbsp wheat germ (gave the waffles crunchiness which I really liked (and a nutty flavor)
dash of salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 egg whites

Mix dry, stir in wet, fold in egg whites that have been beat to a stiff peak (this is where my mini battery-operated whisk came in handy).
Add to a sprayed waffle iron - about 1/2 cup (or to your manufacturer's specifications).

Like I said - they were good. It makes about 4 waffles - so good for 2 people, you can double the recipe if you want to freeze or serve more people. The recipe calls for sliced bananas and a blueberry sauce - but I just used syrup (and some of my friends use no-sugar added syrup).

Enjoy breakfast for dinner sometime - it does the entire body good (when its a healthy breakfast).

kd

Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili (Soup)

I was talking about this chili (soup) with a new friend in Durham (small world, even knew people here in L-ville). She said her husband didn't really chili but she wanted a healthy crock pot recipe. Well, if we call this a soup then maybe he would eat it. Well, finally, a month and a half later, I'm making it for a cold and rainy week we are expecting here in L-ville. (I'm ready for the Spring). I got this out of a crock pot book you can find in the library link on the side of the blog page.

Vegetarian Chili (Soup)

2 zucchini, chopped
2 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
4 regular cans of diced tomatoes (or 2 large cans)
1 bag frozen corn (10oz)
1 cans black beans
2 cups medium salsa (or mild or hot, depending on your liking)

Put it all in a crockpot, high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10. Enjoy with toppings or bread of your choice.

Papalenos - Berea, KY

This weekend I went to Berea, KY to enjoy a weekend with my friend, Felicity, and her new husband, Kevin. Since Kevin was gone all day on Saturday, Felicity and I enjoyed an early dinner at Papalenos. A quaint inexpensive Italian place in the heart of Berea - this place had most everything you would want:
a fountain drink dispenser (although it was Pepsi)
fun wait staff
a rustic interior
great breadsticks - ok - it was more like a bread brick. It was huge. And they serve it in a butter dish because they have poured melted butter (probably 1/4 cup) over the top and then you have the butter in the bottom to sop up with your bread. Fantastic - although not too healthy.
great food - I got the baked spaghetti with meatballs. The sauce was perfect - not too spicy, not too acidic, not too chunky - a good marinara sauce. The meatballs on top with the melted cheese (melted in the dish it was served in, very rustic style). Felicity got the ravioli florentine which was amazing. Spinich inside of ravioli with alfredo sauce - the sauce was great! Best alfredo sauce I would say I've had. Man - it was good.
So, here's a perfect weekend in Berea...go early on a Saturday morning (about a 2 hour drive from Louisville). Eat Papalenos for lunch, go hike the pinnacles, then grab sonny's on your way home (in Richmond).

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

I got this recipe from my dear friend Lindsay - her in-laws had been raving about it so I thought I would try it.
So easy, and creamy, and warm - you can make it halfway healthy too, like I did!

1 chicken, cooked and deboned, and cut into chunks
1 box whole wheat spaghetti noodles (cooked in broth from chicken) - till al dente
2 cans cream of chicken soup (low-sodium, lower fat if want to)
1 stick butter
2 T worcestershire sauce
s/p to taste
1 bag of 2% grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook chicken, cook spaghetti. In large frying pan, mix rest of ingredients together, adding cheese last once chicken and soup is heated through. Mix all with the drained spaghetti noodles. Pour into a greased (pam) 9x13 pan for 1 hour at 350 (I actually cut down the heat about half way through). When it is done, top with grated cheese or cook for about 5 more minutes with bread crumbs.

It was good, I would definitely mix well so the noodles are well-coated. I would watch the salt too. But, it was good, creamy and comfort food! :) I served with steamed broccoli and angel food chocolate delight for dessert. My friend who is expecting was pleased! :) Always good to please babies in wombs! :)

Banana Walnut Buttermilk Pancakes

I had some buttermilk left over from a potato salad and had some bananas in the freezer - so I looked for a recipe for pancakes - since there are just days that call for breakfast for dinner! I found this on food network, looked at the reviews, and then made some adjustments. So, I think they turned out pretty good. And now I have breakfast for all week!
2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 pinches salt
3 tbsp sugar

2 eggs
1 2/3 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla (or to taste)
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
Mix dry, stir wet - mix together, add in the nuts at end

On medium high heat, use butter or spray on pan - make 1/4 cup pancakes - enjoy!

Sarah's Simple Hummus

My friend Sarah gave me an awesome recipe for hummus while we were in seminary and even though I have tweaked it over the years, I love her easy and simple recipe that is adaptable to many tastes. Thanks Sarah!

2 cans chick peas, drained
1/2-2/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic (to taste)
lemon
olive oil
salt
3 heaping tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

In food processor - puree these in steps



garlic and water
1 can at a time of chick peas
tahini
lemon and salt (I just used 1/2 of a jumbo lemon - its juice of course!)
olive oil to taste


I like enjoying mine with carrots or celery, pita bread, or chips. It is healthy and full of protein.
Sarah also has given me recipes for curried chicken and rice and turkey enchiladas! Maybe I'll make those some and share the wealth! Thanks Sarah!

Really good chili

Favorite chili so far - regular that is. I altered the recipe a tad, but I got it (secondhand) from a guy in White Plains names John. Thanks John for having a dad who likes "good salsa, good chili, and good spice". What makes this chili even better is that it is done in a crockpot - so you don't have waste your whole Saturday.

1 Wick Fowler chili spice pack (2 alarm pack but leave out the red pepper) I found this where I also found the regular chili or other sauce packets. I was so excited!
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
6 cloves garlic - chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can rotel (I used mild, but hot would be fine too)
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 28oz can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 lb boneless stew meat
1 lb ground pork

Brown meat and drain. Drain beans. Mix paste with 3/4 can large can of water). Dump it all into a crock pot. Stir to make sure all the spices are evenly distributed. Cook on high for 6 hours.
I served with sourdough bread, cheese, and sour cream. Lots of leftovers. Its really good.

White Plains Oatmeal

I'm so thankful that I went to White Plains this fall. See - God works out everything for our good. Angela is the pastor's wife of a church in White Plains. She was at Southeastern too, but I didn't know her there. Then they were also at Southern, but I wasn't here yet either. But, thanks to her brother-in-law - we were able to meet 18 months ago. All that to say - this is how I got a great recipe for oatmeal.

Now, you might be saying a couple of things: I hate oatmeal! Can't I just open a little packet? Oatmeal is boring! Oatmeal is easy - why do you need a recipe? All these things. But let me tell you. When I didn't feel good today - all I wanted was Angela's oatmeal. Last week I asked her for the recipe.

White Plains Oatmeal - makes enough to have some all week in the mornings for breakfast before work - so you don't have to cook it all week (if you are only feeding yourself like I do)

4 cups water

2 cups regular rolled oats

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp salt (I just used two pinches) - Salt to taste - after eating it I knew it needed more salt, and Angela adds more as well.

fruit - I put in blueberry like she did, but you could try almost anything you like. I thnk I'm going to try raisins, bananas (mashed), craisins, etc.

Boil the water, add the oatmeal. Stir - put on the lowest setting you have - you don't want to boil it too fast. Let cook with lid on for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add in the rest, stirring. I top mine with a splash of milk. It is so good and warm and satisfying.

Thanks Angela! (this is up apple picking up in Granite Springs NY in September) I love surrounding myself with great cooks so I can learn more about what I love to do!

Taste of Durham - Nana's

I was treated to a fine dining experience with a fantastic friend who asked for a knowledgeable waiter when we got reservations. Isn't Claudie cool!
So, we ended up doing the tasting menu here: http://www.nanasdurham.com/ - but they don't have the winter menus up, and it changes all the time.
Five course meal, so here goes:
1. Foi Gras with fig and pear/pepper relish. I don't know if the foi gras didn't have much taste in and of itself - but with the fig sauce and pear/pepper relish (which were both tasty), and eaten on a garlic crouton - it was good. First time for everything.
2. Escargot with asparagus and other stuff in a butter garlic sauce. Claudie described them correctly when she said they had a mushroom texture. They were actually pretty good - and I didn't have to deshell them like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. So, I didn't make a fool out of myself!
3. Crab cake and fried oyster with greens. I don't like raw oysters at all, but this was good. I didn't care for the sea urchin broth it was in - a little too fishy and salty for me, but the friet oyster and crab cake were delicious.
So, even though these are little portions, I was already getting full - but I still had two courses to go -
4. Venison and gnocchi with sauteed root vegetables. The venison was quiet rare, but it was good, especially with the vodka sauce.
5. THE BEST PART: chestnut souffle with mandarin orange creme anglaise. The waiter came and dug a hole in the center of the perfectly cooked souffle, poured the creme down it - it was amazing. I could only eat half of it - but, it was so good.

I'm thankful for Claudie for the treat, our fantastic waiter, new experiences of fine food, and good country cooking! :)

OREOS - what a way to end 2007!

I think one of most perfect foods is an Oreo. I know most of you are thinking - are you crazy? But, really how can you go wrong? I like the plain old oreo - no double stuff, or funky colored cream, or vanilla cookie part. Just an oreo.

Got this from wikipedia:

Over 490 billion OREO cookies have been sold since they were first introduced, making them the best selling cookie of the 20th century. Its most recent packaging slogan is "Milk's Favorite Cookie", which is a slight change from "America's Favorite Cookie."

But, tonight - we made it better. Thanks to some friends - I had my first whack at making funnel cakes, or elephant ears, or fried dough - or whatever you wanna call them. And following through on one of Shane's ideas - we made batter dipped oreos. Oh goodness...they are so yummy! Really - an improvement on the oreo - can you believe it?

So, I'm ending another year. It was a good night of food and friends. Thank you Chris, Rebecca, Jonah, and Shane. Happy cooking in 2008!

Blueberry Sauce with Waffles

I love waffles and I love blueberries - so what better thing to do than to mix them.

I found a blueberry sauce and waffles recipe in the Gooseberry Patch cookbook you can find on the right (with the rest of my cookbooks).

The waffles didn't turn out - I ended up scrambling the eggs when I put the melted shortening in the mix (tempering - I gotta remember that). But, thankfully, Claudia had brought me a mix from Fosters in Durham - so I used that.

Here is the sauce:

Blueberry Sauce (for pancakes or waffles)

1/2 cup sugar

1 T cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 pint (2 cups) blueberries - I used a frozen carton, thawed and drained

1 T butter

Bring the sugar and cornstarch to a boil with the water. Add the blueberries - let them go for about 10 minutes. Add the butter and stir that till melted. Pour them down over the top of some waffles and enjoy! :)

Snickerdoodle Trifles

Had some friends over for lunch and needed a light dessert. This is what Sandra Lee would definitely call semi-homemade. I got these holiday ramekins last year at W-S, so finally got to use them.

Snickerdoodle Trifles

Cinnamon Swirl poundcake (I got one at Wal-mart)

French Vanilla pudding (next time I would use regular vanilla)

Snickerdoodle cookies

Cool whip

Put all in a trifle bowl or individual ramekins - and enjoy!

Oma's Meatballs

Today was a lesson in heritage and comfort foods. In my family, we didn't have meatballs much growing up - I can't remember when I had them. We were mostly a casserole and steak/potatoes family. But, when I got to college and met the Robshaws - Phyllis cooked some things I had never had.
Oma was Phyllis' Mom. She was always so kind to me and welcomed me into the family just as Phyllis and Billy did. One day before I left for NC - I was looking through Phyllis' recipes. Found this one. It is so good. Reminds of beef stroganoff - but in meatball form. Comfort food at its best - here in KY on a blistry winter day.

Oma's Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef
1 pkg sloppy joe mix
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used homemade sourdough bread crumbs) soaked in 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small can mushrooms
canola oil
flour
pepper
1/2 cup water

Mix the sloppy joe pkg, crumbs, and pepper into the meat. Form small meatballs (ping ball size). Roll in flour. Place in hot oil and brown on all sides. Turn heat down and add water. Simmer for an hour, stirring so they won't stick. Add in mushrooms and sour cream. Let heat through.
Cook noodles (I used whole wheat egg noodles).
Serve over noodles.

Phyllis - thank you for sharing your mother's recipes with me. I hope I can pass these down to my kids one day. That's what Mother's are for - both blood relative and larger family mothers!