Japanese Fried Rice

This will be your new favorite rice recipe.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 C. cooked rice or 1 cup uncooked rice

1 C. peas

2 Tbs. carrots, finely diced

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 C. onion, diced

1 1/2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. soy sauce

salt

pepper

Directions

1. Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes).


2. Pour rice into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator.


3. Scramble the eggs in a small pan over medium heat.
   Separate the scrambled chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking.


4. When rice has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot, scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl.


5. Carefully toss all of the ingredients together.


6. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium/high heat.


7. When butter has completely melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper.


8. Cook rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce



I've always enjoyed Chicken Satay, but I've never made them myself.

So now's my chance.

Of course, there would have to be one ingredient that I'm unfamiliar with.  You can find tamarind paste in an Asian or Indian Market. Or, I was able to find a substitute recipe for the Tamarind paste.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade
     Bamboo Skewers

    
     1 pound chicken
     1/2 cup coconut milk
     2 TBL curry Powder
     1 Teas salt
     1 Teas sugar
    
     Peanut Sauce
     3/4 cup coconut milk
     1 TBL red curry paste
     2 TBL fish sauce
     3 TBL peanut butter
     3 TBL sugar
     1 TBL tamarind paste  * 

    Chicken Marinade

     In Medium bowl, mix ingredients together, cut chicken into strips, add chicken to bowl, mix to 

     coat well and let marinade several hours.

     Peanut Sauce

     Add well stirred coconut milk to a pan, on a medium low heat.  As the milk warms, add the curry paste, mixing to
      break up.  When you see the red oil shimmering, add the rest of the ingredients.

    * Tamarind Paste Substitute

     1 TBL chopped dates
     1 TBL Chopped Prunes
     1 TBL Chopped Dried Apricots
     1 TBL Lemon Juice

Place all fruit into a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to cover completely.  Let stand 5 minutes, drain water.  Place drained fruit and the lemon juice into a food processor.  Blend to a thick paste.  Store in fridge.
shopping list    

Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is SO healthy.  It's also well liked by my family. 

This recipe has a little Mexican flare, which we all love.

I cooked the spaghetti squash first in the microwave, which only takes 15 minutes. If you’re partial to roasting it in the oven, by all means do that. You can cook the squash earlier in the day and scoop out all of the strands to use later. This will make dinner prep easy-breezy.

Just before serving, sauté some onions, garlic and red bell peppers, then mix them with black beans, corn and enchilada sauce before scooping the mixture back into the shells of the squash. A couple of minutes under the broiler will make the cheese all melty and golden brown.

This recipe can easily be made vegan (use vegan cheese) or gluten-free (use gluten-free enchilada sauce, such as Hatch). I went the easy route and used a canned enchilada sauce, but making your own enchilada sauce is pretty darn easy.  

A Helping of Healthy

There are more reasons to eat spaghetti squash besides its taste and texture. It’s a great choice when you’re looking for an easy way to replace more calorie-laden foods.

• One cup of spaghetti squash contains only 42 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. Pile it on to your plate!
• It’s a good source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, which are all powerful antioxidants.
• It’s a great source of potassium, which is good news for people with high blood pressure.
• If you’re following a low-carb diet, spaghetti squash may become one of your best friends. It has only 10 grams of carbs per 1 cup serving.

Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• 2 small (2 lb. each) spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1 c frozen corn kernels, defrosted
• 1¾ c enchilada sauce
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp ground pepper, or to taste
• ⅔ c grated Monterrey Jack cheese
• 3 tbsp minced cilantro

Instructions

1. Using a large, sharp knife, pierce a spaghetti squash in several places.  Place the spaghetti squash in a glass baking dish and cook in the microwave on high for about 15 minutes, turning the squash halfway through cooking.
2. Before handling, let the squash stand for 10 minutes. Cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and fibers.
3. Using a fork, twist out strands of the spaghetti squash flesh and place in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature. Save the shells of the squash for stuffing later.
4. Preheat the broiler.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin, and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the spaghetti squash strands, black beans, corn and enchilada sauce, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Scoop the spaghetti squash mixture into the spaghetti squash shells and top with the Monterrey Jack cheese.
8. Place the stuffed spaghetti squash onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Chicken Francese

 

Chicken Francese, sometimes called chicken French, is one of those rare restaurant dishes that's truly easy to cook at home. If you can make chicken cutlets, you can make this lemony, buttery recipe; the only difference is an easy pan sauce that brightens the whole plate. This version includes lemon slices browned in butter, which are pretty and tasty but entirely optional. Although the name suggests that it's a French or Italian dish ("Francese" means French in Italian), it's actually neither: Like spaghetti and meatballs, it's a mostly Italian-American invention. Serve with something starchy to soak up every drop of the sauce; pasta is traditional.

Featured in: The Single Best Thing To Cook With Chicken Breasts. 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 4 to 6 large boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (buy the cutlets thinly sliced, or buy regular boneless breasts and slice them in half horizontally to make thin pieces)
• 3 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed (optional)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon, more to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly minced parsley 

Preparation

1. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper until blended. Place the flour in a separate bowl. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2. In a wide skillet, heat olive and vegetable oils over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Dip into egg batter, let excess batter drip back into the bowl and place in the skillet. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as the cutlets cook so they brown slowly and evenly, with a steady bubbling. Transfer to the paper-towel-lined pan and repeat with remaining cutlets.
4. When all cutlets are browned, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the oil. Wipe out the pan with paper towels. Return the pan to low heat. 
5. If making the lemon slices (if not, skip to Step 6 below): Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and then scatter the lemon slices over the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring gently occasionally, until the lemon slices are golden and browning around the edges, about 3 minutes. Scoop out the lemon slices and set them aside. 
6. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil and cook until thickened into a sauce, about 5 minutes. (It will thicken more when you add the cutlets.) Taste and adjust the seasonings with lemon, salt and pepper; it should be quite lemony and not too salty.
7. Reduce the heat, tuck the cutlets into the pan and simmer very gently until the sauce is velvety and the chicken pieces are heated through, about 4 minutes. Turn the cutlets over occasionally in the sauce. Place the browned lemon slices on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve, spooning some of the sauce over each serving.                  

Sweet Potato Casserole

Now is the time to start thinking about what will be served at our Thanksgiving meal.

Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe?  This one has no marshmallows, but it's still sweet and delicious.

For the sweet potatoes

2 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes    

4 tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 c. milk, preferably whole

1/2 c. packed brown sugar      

2 large eggs      

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg      

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract      

1 tsp. kosher salt      

For the topping

1/2 c. all-purpose flour      

4 tbsp. melted butter      

1/2 c. chopped pecans             

1/4 c. packed brown sugar           

1/2 tsp. kosher salt      

       

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a medium with cooking spray. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly then transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add butter to sweet potatoes and use a potato masher, or two forks, to mash. Add milk, brown sugar, eggs, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and stir until smooth. Transfer to prepared casserole dish.
3. In a medium bowl, add all of the topping ingredients and mix until combined.
4. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the sweet potatoes and bake until warmed through and golden on top, 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Ethan Calabrese

Stuffed Chicken Thighs

My dear friend Theresa made this for me last night.  It was like a Thanksgiving meal.  Besides the stovetop stuffing, she served it with mashed potatoes, green beans and jellied cranberry sauce.

OMG, I want more now.  ~~Shelly

An easy comfort food dinner of chicken rolled up with stuffing in the center and swimming in gravy.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken thighs about 6 thighs, boneless & skinless
• 1 18 oz jar chicken gravy
• 1/3 C milk
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 - 6 oz box instant stuffing mix + ingredients called for on package

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Prepare stuffing as directed on package.
3. Place each thigh, laying open and place a scoop of prepared stuffing in the center. Roll chicken as best as you can and place in a 9x13 baking dish, seam side down. Spoon remaining stuffing around the chicken in the baking dish.
4. Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together gravy and milk. Pour over chicken.
6. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.
7. After 25 minutes, remove cover and continue to cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thru. Always check chicken temp with a quick read thermometer.

Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

I used only 4 chicken thighs and kept the amount of the sauce ingredients the same. 

So, if I were to make 8 chicken thighs, I would double the sauce.  ~Shelly

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skin on

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons snipped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons snipped fresh Thyme                

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces fresh button or Cremini mushrooms, halved and/or quartered

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour               

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

1 tablespoon snipped flat-leaf Italian parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of the rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or very large oven-going skillet. Add chicken, skin side down, to the hot oil and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned on one side.

Transfer chicken pieces to a foil-lined baking pan and bake the chicken in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done (at least 170 degrees F).

In the mean time, while the chicken is baking, make the mushroom sauce in the same skillet used to brown the chicken in.

Add mushrooms to skillet and turn heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Add flour to skillet, stirring to coat. Stir in chicken broth, wine, and mustard. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove skillet from heat and add remaining rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Serve mushrooms sauce over chicken.

           From Better Homes and Gardens    

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops, 1/2" thick
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. On a plate combine the last 4 ingredients.
2. Rub the pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered in it.
3. Line a pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.  
4. Place the pork chops on the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

This come from Just a Pinch Recipes 

Filet Mignon with Rum-Red Chili Sauce or Cabernet Sauce

Do you enjoy a rich or spicy sauce served over your meats?

Here are a coupe of sauce ideas for your next meal.

You will find everything you need at Harter House

and Harter House World Flavors

Rum-Red Chili Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots, minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup dark rum (recommended: Meyers's)

5 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons chili paste or puree

2 tablespoons molasses

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rum and reduce to 1/4 cup. Add the stock, bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and simmer until reduced to 2 cups.

***************************************

Cabernet Sauce:

1 cup onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup carrot, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup good-quality Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups red wine (preferably Cabernet)

1 1/2 quarts veal stock or chicken stock

Salt and black pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until well browned. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add the vinegars and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Add the veal or chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Fresh Corn and Avocado Salsa

INGREDIENTS

4 ears Sweet Corn

2 whole Very Firm Avocados, Diced

1/2 Red Onion, Diced

1/2 Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced

1/2 Hot Chili Pepper, Seeded And Finely Diced

1 whole Juice Of Lime

Plenty Of Chopped Cilantro

Salt To Taste

1 Tablespoon Vinegar

1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice kernels off the corn, and combine it with all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate before serving.

  

 

The spicier the pepper, the more finely you want to dice it.  

If you don't want to use a hot Chili pepper, a finely diced red bell pepper would work great and give the salsa color.  I really like the red in this.

It’s best to cover and refrigerate this for a couple of hours before serving. That’ll give the flavors a chance to get to know each other better.

Serve with white (or even better, blue) tortilla chips. Or serve it as a relish for grilled chicken…or pile it on top of a cheese omelet or quesadilla!

This is another recipe I discovered on The Pioneer Woman blog.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/fresh-corn-avocado-salsa/