Thursday, July 31, 2008

Clam sauce

Clam sauce served over spaghetti noodles

2 Tab. butter
2 Tab. cornstarch
2 cups milk
2 small cans of minced clams (these are the 6 oz or so cans) drained.
1 can of whole mushrooms (drained)
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Cook spaghetti noodles.

While spaghetti is cooking , cook the sauce in a separate pan. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the cornstarch making a thick paste(use fairly low heat). Microwave the milk for about 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly add a little milk at a time to the pan with the cornstarch paste--stirring constantly (medium heat). Continue adding the milk in small amounts. Add about 1/8 th to a 1/4 th tsp garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook stirring constantly until thickened (about 5-6 minutes......sometimes this takes a bit longer). When sauce has thickened add the drained clams and mushrooms. Remove from heat and serve over noodles.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

chicken salad

1 pound of cooked chicken breast or tenders
low fat mayo
low fat plain yogurt
chives chopped
parsley chopped
celery seed
salt
pepper

Combine ingredients according to taste

Gourmet Garden Tomato Salad from Country mag.


This is delicious and easy from Country mag.
1-1/2 pounds of red, yellow and /or orange tomatoes, cut into slices (or chunks)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tab. sugar
1/4 tsp salt (not really needed because the feta is salty)
14 tsp pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (I used the basil tomato kind)
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced.
In jar with a tight fitting lid combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper; shake well. Drizzle over tomatoes . Sprinkle with basil and feta.
This is also great with raw zucchini cut up and added to the mix---great!


Friday, July 18, 2008

Crock pot Chicken thighs and herbs




 while cooking in the crock

The sauce below is especially good with this chicken. You can just heat the sauce and place the cooked chicken in it and serve on rice. BUT THE BROTH MIXTURE YOU COOK THE RICE IN IS ALSO JUST FINE TO SERVE WITH THE RICE---SPECIAL SAUCES JUST ADD A NICE FANCY KICK TO IT IF YOU DESIRE.




Very moist and tasty.This is my favorite way to cook chicken. I use it over rice and with special sauces.

1 package of 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cups of chicken broth or enough to almost cover thighs (the extra broth can be used later in cooking the rice--so you can use more broth)
2-3 fresh sage leaves
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
a few fresh sprigs of flat leaf parsley
ground thyme
black pepper
Paprika sprinkled lightly over the chicken 

place broth and thighs in crock pot. Add sage and parsley leaves and rosemary. Sprinkle chicken with ground thyme and black pepper and paprika.Cook on high 2 hours and then on low for for 2 1/2 hours.

This is great with rice. *Use some of the broth from the crock to cook the rice and /or add chicken broth you have on hand.

Note: you can also place baby carrots and sliced red potatoes or cubes of potatoes at bottom of crockpot with herbs and broth cooking an hour on high then add the chicken and cook on low for 6 hours more.

For a whole chicken dish see: http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/02/scarborough-chicken-from-living-simply.html This is the most moist and flavor--filled baked chicken recipe!!
Also for a very moist thigh recipe that is full of flavor , this one is great:http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/country-coq-au-vin.html

Jamaican Jerk Turkey tenderloins or chops

You can use the above spice or make your own as seen below.


Unfortunately I don't recall where I found this recipe, but it was delicious. I will post a picture the next time I cook it.



1 lb turkey tenderloins or chops
1 20 ounce can pineapple slices or chunks with juice
3 Tab. honey
1 Tab. oil
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tab. Jamaican jerk (recipe below)
2 Tab soy sauce
1 Tab lemon juice
1 Tab. minced dried onion
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in plastic zip lock bag or container. Shake well to coat meat. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour before grilling.

Remove turkey from the bag. Pour marinate into pan and heat over medium heat.

Grill turkey 4 minutes each side until no longer pink inside. Place pineapple (from marinade) on top and a little of the hot marinade.


You can purchase already made Jamaican Jerk seasoning or make your own. Here are 2 different recipes:

2 Tab. minced onion
2 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix these spices and use the amount called for in the recipe.( you can add this to
2 Tab veg oil if rubbing it on meat) .


Second seasoning recipe for Jamaican Jerk seasoning---(I did not use this one)

2 Tab. onion power
1 Tab. sugar
1 Tab salt
1 Tab ground thyme
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground red pepper

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

microwave asparagus

Wash and cut tough ends of of the asparagus . Place whole in a covered pyrex or corningware dish. (if they don't fit you can chop). Add 1 Tablespoon of water. Microwave for 3 minutes. If they are fat ones they may take a bit more. Taste to see.

Microwave corn on cob with husk

This corn was wonderful!! Soooo SWEET. You take the corn with the husk and silk left on and place 2 ears in the microwave. Microwave for 2minutes then turn and nuke for another 2 and 1/2 minutes. Let cool for about 4-5 minutes and then remove husk. Cooks.com gives the following chart for more or less corn:

Cooking Timetable:
1 ear - 1 1/2 minutes
2 ears - 3 to 4 minutes
3 ears - 5 to 6 minutes
4 ears - 7 to 8 minutes
6 ears - 8 to 9 minutes
I tried it just with the 2 and it was perfect at 4 and 1/2 minutes.
It does make a difference on what type of microwave you have---ones with lower power or higher power so take that into consideration!


For a low powered microwave it may take as long as 6 minutes for 2 ears.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Italian Chicken and Rice Salad (gluten free)

This is one of my favorite Chicken Salad recipes! We got this from a friend who brought it to a Bible study. This is pictured in a giant salad bowl. This is eleven cups!!
3 chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cooked)
2 cup (measured white uncooked) rice. I used Basmati rice.
1-2 cups frozen baby garden peas
pinenuts (found at Walmart where they have the nuts for cooking in flour isle-2 oz package)
parsley
green onions
yellow raisins
Italian dressing (use your favorite)
Optional slivered almonds instead of pinenuts

Cook the chicken breasts (ie about 20 minutes in simmering water--or they are even better grilled). Cook the rice (see the ps). Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss with the rice. Saute or roast the pinenuts (about 2 oz package). Toss with rice. Add chopped parsley, chopped green onions, and yellow raisins, and peas (uncooked--I put them in frozen and the heat from rice is enough)--as much as you desire. Toss all with Italian dressing using as much as you would like and refrigerate.

Ps. I like to cook the Basmati rice or Jasmine rice by following the normal directions on the package for the measurements, BUT altering the method of cooking. So for the Jasmine rice you put 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water and a tab. of olive oil with some salt in the pot. Bring to a boil UNCOVERED. Boil until the water comes just below the surface of the rice and then cover and reduce heat to low cooking 15-20 minutes more. (sometimes I turn the stove completely off for a 5 minutes and then put it back on low )--this makes for a drier rice which is nice in salads.

Makes about eleven cups.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme chicken breasts or thighs


This was full FULLLL of flavor. I love it!! Don't go by the picture!! I needed to take a better one! Also for another flavorful recipe for thighs go to http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/07/crock-pot-chicken-thighs-and-herbs.html
4 chicken breast or thighs (boneless, skinless)
1-2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
4-5 large fresh sage leaves
4-5 fresh rosemary sprigs
(1 tsp or more of minced garlic --I think I added this, but I am not sure!)
ground thyme
black pepper
1 tablespoon or so of olive oil
In Skillet heat oil. Brown chicken on both sides. Add broth , wine, sage , rosemary, (?garlic) and sprinkle chicken with the ground thyme and pepper. Simmer covered about 20 minutes or until 170-180 degrees. Serve over noodles.

For a whole chicken dish see: http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/02/scarborough-chicken-from-living-simply.html This is the most moist and flavor--filled baked chicken recipe!!
Also for a very moist thigh recipe that is full of flavor , this one is great:http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/11/country-coq-au-vin.html

Friday, July 4, 2008

Salmon and vegies with noodles


We loved this--great with fresh garden vegies and herbs.

1 onion

1 green pepper

Saute the above
Add 1 green squash(zucchini),
fresh basil and
fresh oregano,
garlic.
Cook until lightly (just barely)done.
Add one can of deboned salmon (7-1/2oz can) and
Add 2 tomatoes chopped (heating until just warmed).
Serve over spaghetti noodles.
Note: use only the good canned salmon for this dish and only add salmon last--do not heat it much. The cheaper salmon sometimes has a fishier taste and is not as good.

Easy Custard


3 cups milk
3 eggs
1/2 Tablespoon Sugar (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)
dash of salt
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all of the above. Pour into custard cups. Set cups in a water bath (ie a 13 by 9 inch pan of water. Let the water come up to almost the top of the level of the custard. Cook for 45-to 50 minutes or until set. (You can test by putting a knife in and when it comes out pretty much clean it is done. It is creamier if you don't over cook it---but is good anyway!) Cool in frig.

If you don't have custard cups you can use a 2 quart casserole and place that in the 13 by 9 inch pan with water too. But this takes a longer time to cook and when you scoop out and leave some for the next day there is a bit of water---like yogurt does.

ps. You can alter the recipe ie 2 eggs and 2 cups of milk if you want less. etc

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Red Salmon patties


This sockeye salmon has the least contaminates--Sockeye is the better one. Also I believe it has a better taste. We loved this! This is also good with grits!

1 14 oz can of salmon
1 egg
salt/pepper
(you can add any other seasonings you would like--such as onions, peppers, parsley, Texas Pete hot sauce etc--whatever!)

Mix all together . Form 4 patties. I browned them in the iron skillet with a little olive oil. Cooks up like you would cook a hamburger. We really enjoyed this.
THESE IN THE PICTURE HAD GREEN PEPPERS, RED PEPPERS, BLACK GROUND PEPPER, SALT, AND PARSLEY and ONION. It is similar to crab cakes in flavor when you add all of this. A FEW DASHES OF TEXAS PETE REALLY ADDS FLAVOR AND PUNCH.

Chicken Breasts with herbs from Better homes and Gardens

Hmm, not a good picture!!
This had lots of good flavor
Prep 15 min . Cook 14 minPosted by Picasa
1/3 cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (3 cloves)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup chicken broth
1. In small bowl stir together parsley, oregano , lemon peel, and garlic. Set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat cook chicken in butter for 6 minutes or until browned, turning once. Transfer to plate. Remove skillet from heat; stir in half herb mixture. Return to heat. Add broth; bring to boiling, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Return chicken to skillet; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Serve with pan sauce; sprinkle with remaining herb mixture. Serves 4.