Chicken Lo Mein

We are huge fans of Chinese food in our house. Unfortunately, after a takeout Chinese dinner, Husband and I find ourselves super thirsty all night long. The obvious solution for us is for me to make our Chinese food. I’ve been making this dish for a few years and I’ve been pleased with it every time.

Please do not add 2-3 teaspoons of crushed red pepper. When I made this for dinner this evening I only used one teaspoon and even that was too spicy. I love spicy food but wow! Start with ¼ teaspoon and increase for taste.

I don’t use bok choy. I’m not a huge fan of wilted greens and considering that this recipe only calls for two ribs it doesn’t make sense for me to buy a whole head. I did buy canned mushrooms this time. Sometimes I use fresh, sometimes canned. It all depends on what our schedule looks like for the week and if I’m 100% sure I will be able to make this while the mushrooms are still good.

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry or plain rice vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

I lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 cups cook linguine, (7oz dried, uncooked)

1 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

8 oz can sliced water chestnuts

8 oz can sliced bamboo shoots

4 medium green onions

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2-3 three teaspoons crushed red pepper

½ medium red bell pepper, sliced

1 medium carrot, shredded

2 medium ribs bok choy (stalks and leaves), sliced

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms such as oyster or shitake

In a glass baking dish combine soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Cut the turkey into ¾ inch cubes. Add the turkey to the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes to 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

Rinse and drain the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Slice the green onions.

Heat a wok or a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Pour in the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the crushed red pepper and turkey with the marinade. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the bell pepper and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Stir in the bok choy and cook for one minute or until the stems are slightly wilted, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, mushrooms and green onions: cook for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is warmed through, stirring occasionally. Stir in the linguine and broth mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

American Heart Association Low Cal Cookbook

Purple cauliflower and little one's first foods.

No recipes, just some fun.

My grocery store had purple cauliflower last week! Of course I picked it up! They also had green and orange. I’m not sure how they get these great colors (I will investigate this further) but I am convinced that since it’s so colorful it must have extra vitamins and other good stuff that plain old white cauliflower doesn’t have. I am sad to report that I cannot tell you about the flavor as my sense of taste is still missing. It’s almost back though!



Little one lovin' the avacado!



Little one is exploring his first foods. We have been successful with oatmeal, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocado, potatoes and applesauce. I also like to give him small tastes (tip of the finger’s worth) of what I am eating. He has fun holding on to stalks of celery and using them to teethe. He sucked on some ice cubes, the one’s with the hole in the middle that I can wear as a ring, on a recent flight and had a ball sucking on a sliver of tomato. I purchased the Beaba Babycook and I can’t wait to use it! I know, I don’t need anything special to make his food, but it was an excuse to purchase a kitchen toy! My plan is to make his food for him and avoid prepackaged food for him as much as possible.

Ultimate Sausage Cheese Pizza

I will take a homemade pizza over delivery any night. While homemade does require some planning on my end, I am usually much happier with the end product. There are a few pizza places in town we will order from (one is sit down, one is local delivery) but a majority of the pizza we eat is homemade. Since I usually make more than one pizza crust at a time we invite friends over for dinner on pizza nights. The pizza I make the most is below. I like that it’s different that your typical pepperoni.

While I usually plan the type of pizza I am going to make and buy the ingredients that way, there are times when I make pizza to use up leftovers. Our household favorite leftovers pizza uses the chicken and the veggie salad from chicken souvlaki. I have been known to makes extra chicken souvlaki just for this purpose! Throw all the leftovers on the dough (no need for red sauce) and top with mozzarella and feta.

My pizza dough recipe comes from the always handy Joy of Cooking. I just thrown everything into my stand mixer and let it do all the work. I begin with three cups of flour and add more as needed. I buy my yeast in the glass jars at the grocery store because I enjoy making yeast breads. It’s much more economical for me to buy yeast this way as opposed to the packets. If you aren’t a huge baker, buy the packets so your yeast doesn’t go bad. I like to add a teaspoon of dried herbs to the dough. I usually add basil but depending on the type of pizza I am making I will also use Herbs de Provence or oregano.

 

1 1⁄3 c. warm (105° to 115°F) water
1 package (2 1⁄4 teaspoons) active dry yeast 

3 c. flour
2 T. olive oil
1 T. salt

Dissolve yeast in water and wait until it becomes frothy. Combine all ingredients the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Mix for about 5 minutes (10 minutes by hand) with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add up to an additional cup of flour as needed. Cover the bowl clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Grease 2 baking sheets and dust with cornmeal; or place a baking stone in the oven and preheat it for 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 10 to 15 minutes. Prepare the desired toppings.
One at a time, flatten each ball of dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 12-inch round, rolling and stretching the dough. Place each dough circle on a prepared baking sheet, or, if using a baking stone, place them on rimless baking sheets or baker’s peels dusted with cornmeal. Lift the edges and pinch to form a lip. Top with desired toppings and bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Adapted from Joy Of Cooking - Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker

This recipe is for one pizza according to the serving size. Since I’m making pizza to share, I like to quadruple this recipe. It sounds like a lot when I say it, but in the end it makes the most sense. If I don’t have tomato sauce, tomato puree is a great substitution. I do make sure to use chicken sausage, but I don’t always use the basil variety. Our grocery store stocks lots of different flavors, don’t be afraid to experiment. Jarred roasted red peppers are a time saver and I think just as good.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup organic tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper
1 link precooked chicken basil sausage
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 red bell pepper or jarred roasted red pepper
4 ounces prepared pizza dough
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped scallion, white and green parts
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

For the tomato sauce, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

Preheat a gas grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken basil sausage and bell pepper on the grill. Grill the sausage until cooked through, about 2 minutes each side; set aside. Continue grilling the pepper, turning, until the skin is blackened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Place pepper in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel, stem and seed the pepper; cut or tear half the pepper into large dice, reserving the other half of the roasted pepper for another dish. When chicken sausage is done, slice thinly and set aside.

Spray an aluminum pizza pan with nonfat cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to stretch the pizza dough into a thin round, about 8 inches. Place it in the prepared pan. Spread the dough with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the sliced chicken sausage on top, and scatter the pepper over. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake until the edges are crisp and lightly browned, and the cheese is melted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with scallions and basil, if using. Let pizza stand about 2 to 3 minutes before eating.

Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes – Lifetime Television

Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans

I decided after days of not being able to taste a thing (thanks to this still lingering cold) that I wanted something with FLAVOR. I turned to this recipe. I had made it twice before and I was thrilled with the results. I have found this dish to be quick and easy but very impressive.

I used roasted red peppers from a jar since piquillo peppers aren’t an easy find in my part of the Midwest. This gives me an opportunity to use the small bowl portion of my food processor. I absolutely love using my kitchen gadgets! I didn’t add the parsley because quite honestly, I’m not a fan of fresh parsley.

I don’t add any olive oil to the pan when I cook the chorizo. The chorizo gives off enough fat on its own that the olive oil makes this dish extra oily. I do drain the chorizo once it’s cooked but I cook the onions, chilies and garlic in the chorizo fat. No need to waste flavor. Be sure to seed those chilies.

Buy Spanish chorizo! The Mexican stuff will not work at all! I buy my chorizo at a specialty shop downtown or at World Market.

And just for your viewing pleasure – little one, the reason blogging/cooking/cleaning/sleeping/not laughing out loud can be difficult on some days.

• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 cup drained piquillo peppers or 2 roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• One 3/4- to 1-pound package Spanish chorizo, cut on an angle into 12 slices
• 2 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• One 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
• One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• Salt and pepper

1. In a pot, bring the chicken broth and EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, to a boil. Add the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Using a food processor, puree the piquillo peppers. Stir the puree into the rice along with the parsley and paprika. Cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp, turning, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the chiles, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and beans; season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the rice in shallow bowls topped with the beans and chorizo.

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/rachael-ray-30-minute-meals/Smoky-Red-Rice-and-Chorizo-with-Black-Beans

Tomato Soup Spice Cake

One of my coworkers brought in a fantastic homemade chocolate cake in honor of our boss’s birthday today. The cake has a secret ingredient and my coworkers and I took some guesses at what I could be (sour cream, applesauce, mayo, tomato soup). After my tomato soup guess I got the side eyes from a few in the room. I was honestly shocked at the lack of awareness there was about Tomato Soup Spice Cake! So in honor of my coworkers I would like to share this recipe.

Please note: I am not making this at home. Our whole family is suffering from a nasty spring cold. I have enough energy at the end of the day to make dinner but dessert is out of the question! I have made this in the past. It’s been at least ten years since I made this cake but I still remember how good this cake is.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl.  Add the soup, shortening, eggs and water.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed just until blended.   Increase the speed to high and beat for 4 minutes.  Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

·         Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is creamy.  Slowly beat in 1 package (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until the frosting is desired consistency.

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=24354&ref=%2fSearchRecipesResult.aspx%3ffilter%3d%26q%3dspice%2bcake%26fbid%3dv7JS-KcNHp_&fbid=v7JS-KcNHp_

Beef Biryani

The best Indian food I ever ate was in Portugal. I still think of that meal. Husband and I were tired after a busy day of sight seeing outside of Lisbon and managed to nap through the dinner hour. The only restaurant that we could find that was open was a small Indian place close to our hotel. Incredible food, great service and a nice story to tell. A new Indian restaurant just opened in town and I’m thrilled. Before this restaurant opened there wasn't  an Indian restaurant in town so I had to find a way to make my own Indian cuisine.

I’ll be the first to admit, this isn’t 100% true Indian food. First off, this recipe contains beef. Second it’s made in a crockpot. I do have an Indian food cookbook, Husband brought it back from a trip to Dehli as a gift from the head chef at the Intercontinental. I will delve into that cookbook soon, until then I will continue to make this recipe.

I don’t add cardamom pods, cinnamon, or peas. Mince the ginger, don’t grate it. Be sure to drain the beef after you cook it or you will end up with not so tasty beef biryani. I have tried lots of yogurt and Greek woks the best. You can get saffron for a great price at World Market.

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

Seeds from 3 black cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

6 to 8 peppercorns

2 cinnamon sticks, broke into pieces

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ½ lbs. beef sirloin, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup water

3-4 cups cooked rice, preferably basmati

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

½ tsp. saffron threads, soaked in ¼ cup water for 20 minutes

1 teaspoon salt

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Combine the cumin, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon in a mortar or coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium to high heat and add the oil. Add the beef and cook, turning, for 10 minutes until browned on all sides. Using tongs, transfer to a plate. Add the onions to the sauté pan and cook stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for three minutes. Add the spice mixture and stir well. Add the meat and yogurt and toss well.

Transfer to a slow cooker and stir in the water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is very tender. Stir in the rice, peas, saffron water and salt 30 minutes before the end of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro. 

The Gourmet Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley