Quick Chicken Curry

Quick Chicken Curry

1 lb chicken tenderloins, cut into bite size pieces
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 tbsp hot red curry paste

Mix cumin, curry powder, ginger, salt and cayenne pepper in a bowl.  Add chicken pieces and stir to coat.  Heat oil in a large skillet until hot ( a drop of water added to the skillet will sizzle and splatter).  Add chicken and cooks until no longer pink, stirring often.
Add tomatoes, broth and curry paste.  Stir to mix well, heat through.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Nacho Bake

Nacho Bake

1 lb lean ground beef
14 oz can diced tomatoes
jalapeno pepper
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
tortilla chips ( approx 54 chips)
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Brown ground beef and drain. Add tomatoes, diced jalapeno, 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes.

Stir in sour cream.

Spray the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish.  Spread a layer of tortilla chips.  Top with half of the eat and tomato mixture.   Repeat layers and top with the cheese.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Whole Wheat Rolls

Whole Wheat Rolls

1 5/8 cup water
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp salt
4 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tsp yeast

Place all in the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Mix on dough setting.
Shape and let rise until doubled (about 40 minutes)
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

I brushed mine with honey butter - yum!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 small bay leaf
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes, do not drain
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups skim milk

 Place about 1/2 cup chicken broth in the bottom of a soup pot.  Saute the carrots, onions and celery until tender.  Add chicken broth and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.

 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan.   Stir in the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

 Add 1 cup of the soup mixture to the saucepan and stir.  Mine got very thick at this point.

 Add about 2 more cups of the soup to the saucepan. Stir until well blended.  Add this back into the soup pot.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and milk.  Heat through.

Baked Pears with Hazelnut Yogurt Sauce

Baked Pears with Hazelnut Yogurt Sauce

Pears - 1 per serving
Brown Sugar
Nutmeg or cinnamon as desired
Plain yogurt
Hazelnut syrup (found in the coffee section or kitchen specialty shops)
Sweetener or sugar

Peel the pears and cut in half.  Scoop out the seeds and membrane.  I used a 'grapefruit' spoon that I have.  It is a teaspoon but has a serrated edge so it is easy to dig into the fruit.   A melon baller might work, I don't have one. 

Place pears with cut side up in a baking dish and pour in about 1/2 water.  Spoon 1/2 tsp brown sugar into the center of each pear.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and/or cinnamon as desired. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 until the pears are soft and you can pierce them easily with a fork. The length of time will depend on how ripe the pears are.  Mine were very hard and took about an hour. 

You can serve these hot, cooled to room temperature or chill - with or without the yogurt sauce. 

Hazelnut Yogurt Sauce - 

Mix 1 tsp Hazelnut syrup and some sweetener/sugar in the plain yogurt.  Adjust taste by adding more syrup or sweetener as needed. 

Other flavors can be used. I am thinking Raspberry would be good and maybe Gingerbread around Christmas time.  

Spaghetti Squash Fritters

 Spaghetti Squash Fritters

1 spaghetti squash
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Cook the squash by cutting in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds.  Place cut side down on a greased cookie sheet (I sprayed mine with Olive Oil Pam) and bake at 350 for 45 - 60 minutes until completely soft.

Using a fork, scoop out the squash shredding into spaghetti like strands.   I had about 2 cups from my squash.
Stir in flour and cheese.
Heat olive oil in skillet and drop the squash mixture by spoonfuls, flatten slightly with the back of the spoon.
Cook until browned on one side and flip.  These were very soft and it took a lot of 'work' to get them flipped. Can serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Makes 6 servings.

French Bread - bread machine

French Bread
(I have used this recipe to make breadsticks, long narrow loaves or knots like in the photo.  Works well for all)

1 3/8 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp bread machine yeast

Place all in bread machine and process on dough setting.
When completed remove from the machine and shape as desired. Let rise 45-60 minutes.  You can brush the tops with some beaten egg if you like.  This adds a nice gloss to the crust.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. If desired, brush with butter while still warm.

Breadsticks and loaves - I divide the dough into 3 equal parts.   Two of these I shape into long slender loaves and bake in a French loaf pan.   I spray the pan with olive oil and sprinkle on a little corn meal. 
The third piece I divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each between my hands to make a rope about 6-8 inches long.  Spray a baking sheet and sprinkle with corn meal.  Place the ropes side by side, not touching, on the baking sheet.

Knots. -  Divide dough into 24 equal pieces.  Spray a baking sheet.  Roll each piece between hands to make a rope about 6-8 inches long.  Loop into a circle and push one end through the center making a knot.  Place these on the baking sheet, leaving some space between them.  I can get all 24 on my baking sheet (4 x 6) and they will rise and touch as they bake. 

Chicken Verde

8 chicken breasts tenderloins - about 3 oz each ( I allow 2 per serving but I usually just eat 1)
2/3 cup lime juice ( I used Real Lime)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder (might try minced garlic next time)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa verde
Sour Cream
Cilantro, if desired

Place chicken tenderloins in a large bowl.  Mix together the lime juice, cumin and garlic powder and pour over the chicken, mix to coat.  Marinade in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat.   Remove chicken pieces one by one and place in the skillet. Reserve marinade.  Cook chicken pieces until golden browned on each side and cooked through.  If necessary, drain any fluids as you are cooking so the pieces brown.
Remove chicken and keep warm.  Pour reserved marinade and chicken broth into skillet and heat to boil.  Cook until reduced by about half. Stir in the salsa verde and heat through.  If it is too watery, combine about 1 tsp of corn starch in 1/8 cup cold water.  Pour into the boiling sauce and stir constantly until thickened.
Serve the sauce on the side with the chicken. Spoon sauce over the chicken and top with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro. 

Calories per 1 tenderloin and sauce to cover - 83

Chicken Parmesan

3 lb bag frozen chicken breasts

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 lb spaghetti, cooked according to package 

2 cup spaghetti sauce plus more to serve on the side

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Approximately 16 servings

Thaw chicken breasts. Place thawed breast inside a gallon ziplock bag and using the flat side of a meat mallet , pound until about 1/4 inch thick. Remove from bag and set aside. Repeat with the remaining breasts. When finished, discard bag. 

Cut each breast into serving pieces about 3 ounces each (16 pieces or more) or just a little smaller than the palm of your hand. 

Place beaten egg into shallow bowl. Place crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper is a second shallow bowl and stir to mix well. 

Spray baking sheets or shallow casseroles with cooking spray. You will need large enough pans/dishes to lay breasts in a single later. 

Dip breast pieces in egg, then bread crumb mixture and place in greased pan. Repeat with remaining pieces laying in a single layer. 

Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

 Remove from oven and too each piece with about 1 Tbsp each of sauce and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and cook another 2-5 minutes until cheese melts. 

Serve over spaghetti with additional sauce on the side.