Curried-Pear Chicken

I love the smell of curry powder, but don't get the opportunity to use it as often as I'd like.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
• 4 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 pear, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 C dry white wine (see notes, below)
• 1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp chopped fresh mint

1.  Season chicken on both sides with 1/8 tsp salt and pinch of pepper.  Heat 2 tsp oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well-browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tsp oil to the pan.  Add pear, shallot, and curry.  Cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add wine and broth; bring to a simmer.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3.  Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan.  Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to 2 plates.  Add coconut milk, cilantro, and mint to the pan and stir to combine.  Season with the remaining salt and pepper and spoon over the chicken.

Robyn's notes: I can't afford wine for cooking, so I simply used all chicken broth (or 1/2 C total) instead.  Another option is to replace the wine with apple juice.  I thought I had the fresh herbs in the house but turned out to have misremembered, so I just left them out.  I found the chicken really quite good, but it all went best when each bite had a bit of chicken with sauce, a bit of pear, and some of the Ginger Pear Rice that I made as a side.  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently
 

Raspberry-Glazed Chicken

For several years I found myself regularly running across recipes that called for "seedless raspberry jam", but couldn't find the stuff in any of my local stores.  I've made raspberry jam, but straining out the seeds was a pain, and due to my health problems I should avoid seeds as much as possible, so just substituting regular jam didn't seem the best idea.  I did eventually find the product, and of course bought it immediately...then couldn't find any of those recipes again.  This one doesn't necessarily require seedless, but I find it better and now that I have the jar I might as well enjoy it!

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 3 Tbsp raspberry jam
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 C raspberries (frozen and thawed is ok)

1.  In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Cook chicken in oil 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when cut.
2.  In small bowl, mix jam and mustard.  Spoon jam mixture over chicken; top with raspberries.

Robyn's notes: I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was, as I expected it to just be acceptable.  The sweet from the jam combined with the sharp bite of the mustard worked great together.  I served this with Creamy Couscous, which I think was a good choice for the dish. GF: check your mustard, some brands are free of cross-contamination, others may not be. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently
 

Open-Face Breakfast Sandwiches

This is another quick dish I had regularly growing up. I don't buy bread products at the store very often, because they tend to start growing before I finish the package. So this is a good way to use up English muffins without feeling like I'm eating the same thing day after day.

• 2 English muffins, split
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into coins
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 3-4 oz Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or diced

1.  Toast English muffins.

2.  Top each English muffin half with single layer of egg coins, season with salt and pepper.  Top with slices of cheese and sprinkle bacon on center of cheese.

3.  Microwave on high 20-45 seconds, until edges of cheese are starting to melt, but slices retain their shape.

Robyn's notes: as soon as these come out of the microwave they should be moved to a different section of the plate, or the condensation beneath them will make the English muffins wet and gummy.   Can be made without the bacon, if that's too much trouble or it's not on hand.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

S.O.S.

I am well aware that there are a lot of people who think that S.O.S. is disgusting.  It does, after all, stand for "Shit On a Shingle", and it's not even the prettiest dish.  My stepdad and my sweetheart both refuse to eat it, but the cooks in my dad's branch of the service must have done a better job, because he had no problem with it, and therefore I grew up eating it from time to time.  And I like it. 

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• pinch salt
• dash pepper
• 3/4 C milk
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 15 slices dried beef (from 5oz can)

1.  In a small saucepan melt butter.  Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.  Stir in milk all at once.  Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.  Stir in W-sauce.  Pull apart and tear dried beef into  chunks and strips, adding to sauce.  Simmer until beef is heated through, and serve over any starch.

Robyn's notes: I always have this over toasted English muffins, but it can be served over toasted bread, baked potato, pasta, whatever the preference is.  Go really easy on the salt, as the beef has a lot of sodium and it will overwhelm the dish.  Unopened, a jar of dried beef is shelf-stable for a very long time.  This only gets three stars because he won't eat it and because it's not the most exciting dish, it's just good and filling and I have nostalgia for it from childhood.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

B's Chicken

When I was growing up, my sister and I were both Camp Fire Girls.  Each of our clubs did various events that involved food, and often we'd end up with "family recipes" from the families of other club members.  This is the reduced version of a recipe that a girl from my sister's club--who went by "B", short for Beatrice--wrote when she was 8 or 9.  I'm sure there's a written version of it with measurements somewhere, but we've been making it so long that we just do it without bothering with any of that anymore.  Since I used up about 3 days of energy baking for the 4th of July, I needed something simple that didn't ask too much of me, and this recipe was happy to step up.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp Italian-style breadcrumbs (see notes, below)

1.  Place flour, milk, and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls or pie tins.  In a medium skillet, heat just enough oil to cover bottom of pan over medium-high heat.
2.  Dredge both sides of chicken first in flour, tapping off excess, then in milk, finally in breadcrumbs.  Gently place chicken in oil, and cook over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes.  Turn chicken over and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Robyn's notes: it is very easy to overcook or even to burn this chicken, because it goes so quickly, so do not raise the heat to high or you will have a blackened crust.  I sometimes take the lazy way out (I did in this case) and buy "thin-sliced" breast fillets at the grocery.  Since the regular chicken breasts available at the store these days are around 6 oz each (which is two servings), buying thin-sliced helps us not eat twice as much as we should.  Another option if not in the mood to pound chicken between sheets of plastic wrap is to cut the chicken into small nuggets.  The only store-bought breadcrumbs I ever have on hand (other than panko) are Italian-style.  If you have plain breadcrumbs, sprinkle in a bit of Parmesan cheese (about a tsp) and dried Italian herbs (about a tsp) and mix well.  Be careful gripping the chicken to turn it in the pan, the coating will slide off if it's pinched too hard.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Hamburger Stroganoff

This may not be the prettiest meal I'll ever post, but it is another nostalgic comfort food dish for me.  I've reduced it heavily from the recipe my mom made when I was a kid.  When I first moved out, I was also moving out of state, far enough that visits would be 1-2 times per year.  One of the things my mom sent with me was a binder of recipes that I'd loved growing up.  This was in there, and that's where I've taken it from.  I don't have any idea where she originally got the recipe.  Don't forget to prepare the potatoes, however you prefer to bake them (I actually use the microwave when they're being served under a dish like this).

• 2 strips of bacon, diced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• pinch pepper
• 2/3 C condensed cream of mushroom soup (from a 10.75 oz can)
• 1/2 C sour cream

1.   Place ground beef and bacon in skillet; cook and stir until beef is browned.  Add onion and cook until just tender.  Spoon off excess fat.
2.  Blend flour and seasonings into meat; stir in soup.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
3.  Stir in sour cream.
4.  Serve over baked potatoes.

Robyn's notes: this is a very filling meal, in my opinion.  You will be using half of the can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, see "Using Up Ingredients" at the top of the page for suggestions on what to do with the rest of the can.  The recipe says this can also be served over egg noodles or toasted hamburger buns, but I like it best over baked potatoes, so that's all I'm listing in the recipe itself.  It was hard to find a good skillet size for this, I used a 10-inch, which was perfect for browning the beef, bacon, and onion, but once it got to the simmering it seemed a bit large.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan when stirring.  I let the skillet sit over low heat for about 2 minutes after stirring in the sour cream, just to let it thicken up a bit before spooning it over the potatoes.  Probably only a 4 star recipe, but the nostalgia factor gives it a fifth star.  

 ***** 5 Stars: Excellent. A favourite for both of us, I will make this repeatedly

Breakfast Burritos

For most of my career, I chose to work the night shift (aka Mids/Graveyard).  I really preferred it to either Days or Swings, for a lot of reasons, but there were a few aspects of working nights that were challenging.  One of those is the food issue.  If I was asleep from approximately 8am until 3 or 4 in the afternoon, then when I woke up I wasn't likely to be in the mood for dinner foods, even though it was the regular dinner time.  My meal during my shift (I usually tried to get the 2:30 or 3am lunch break) was never anything particularly special or filling, because it's hard to get enthused about a meal at that time of night, especially when you only have 30 minutes to reheat and eat.  When I got home from work I was ready for a nice big meal...but generally too tired to fix one after a 10-14 hour shift.  So co-workers and I often went to either a particular pancake restaurant or a small Mexican cafe that opened right before our shift ended.  At the latter, I always ordered a breakfast burrito, and the ones I got there are still the best I've ever had.  A few years ago I mentioned on Twitter that I was going to have a breakfast burrito for dinner, and was horrified at how many people asked me what that was. 

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 C frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes
• 2 medium (soft taco size) flour tortillas
• 2 eggs
• 1-2 Tbsp milk
• dash salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 tsp butter
• 2-3 Tbsp diced ham
• 1/3 C shredded cheese (either 4 Cheese Mexican blend or Cheddar)

1.  Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Carefully add potatoes to form an even layer.  Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
2.  In a nonstick 8-inch skillet on another burner, warm tortillas one at a time over medium-low heat.  Set aside and cover to keep warm.  Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 
3.  Remove lid from potatoes, turn them, and reduce heat to medium.  Cook, uncovered, for 4 minutes without further stirring. 
4.  Melt butter in small skillet used to warm tortillas.  Add egg mixture and cook slowly, scrambling with a silicone spatula.  As soon as the egg starts to set, add ham and continue to cook and stir together until cooked to your preference.
5.  Spoon approximately 1 Tbsp cheese down center of each tortilla.  Top with half of potatoes onto each, then half of the egg mixture.  Cover each with remaining cheese.  Fold over sides of tortillas and secure, if needed, with a toothpick.

Robyn's notes: this is a simple dish, but it can take some trying to get all the timing right, since both skillets are working at the same time and everything has to finish at just the right moments to keep anything from getting overcooked or cold from sitting.  I always have a bag of these potatoes in the freezer.  Likewise, I always have 4 Cheese Mexican blend shredded cheese in the house, it's more my standard than regular cheddar, so that's what I use.  Just before removing the eggs and ham from the skillet, I like to stir a bit of the cheese (maybe a Tbsp) into them so it gets all nice and warm and melty and gooey and integrated, instead of  just being layers.  Some people like to add salsa or onions and peppers or a bit of hot sauce to their breakfast burritos, since I can't eat any of that I don't.  The ham can be replaced with bacon or sausage, or left out entirely for a vegetarian version.  Without ham it might be a good idea to add a third egg, as I don't think it's as hearty a meal.  Although I've got a 'breakfasts' label on this, I'm much more likely to serve it as a dinner these days. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Hungarian Goulash

This is a very reduced version of a recipe my mom made for us a lot when I was growing up.  I don't know how much similarity it bears to actual Hungarian dishes, I've done a lot of travelling but Hungary is not one of the places I've visited.  It is, for me, a touch of childhood and the smell of it cooking means comfort.  Plan ahead, this recipe has a long cook time.

• 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 3/4 C sliced onions
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch pepper
• 1/3 C condensed beef broth from a 10.5oz can
• 4 oz egg noodles
• 1/3 Tbsp butter (optional)
• 3/4 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
• 1/4 C sour cream

1.  In medium bowl, toss meat cubes with flour to coat.  In Dutch oven or 10-inch skillet, brown meat cubes in oil until well browned on all sides.  Add onions, paprika, salt, pepper, and beef broth.  Cover and cook over low heat for 1-1/2 hours or until meat cubes are tender.
2. Shortly before serving, cook noodles as instructed on package.  Drain.  If desired, toss with butter and poppy seeds.
3.  Add sour cream to meat mixture and cook over low heat until heated through, stirring constantly.  Serve over noodles.

Robyn's notes: It may seem like 1 Tbsp of flour isn't enough to coat 1/2 lb of meat, but it really turns out to be enough.  I also tap off as much excess flour as possible before putting it in the pan, so it doesn't get gloppy.  I used a ten-inch skillet.  When browning the meat it was the perfect size to accommodate all the cubes with space to turn them once, and when it came time to cover and cook I pushed all the ingredients to one side of the pan together.  I checked the status of the meat several times during the 90 minutes of cooking, stirring things around and making sure there was still enough liquid, as my mom had warned me I might need to add more broth.  She generally uses her electric skillet to make this for 4 people, and in the electric skillet she adds more broth.  I didn't need to add another drop.  I can't eat seeds, they cause a lot of pain for me, so I just leave the poppy seeds out entirely, I don't think it changes the taste or enjoyment at all.  Probably more a 4 star dish if it didn't have such nostalgic feeling for me.  As it is, I won't make it often, but will make it for many years to come, 5 stars.  

***** 5 Stars: Excellent. A favourite for both of us, I will make this repeatedly

Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto

Many years ago, I lived near Phoenix and had very little money.  One of the problems with having very little money in the southern half of the state of Arizona is that for much of the year "hot" doesn't even begin to describe the world around you, and running air conditioning to a livable level is expensive.  With an upstairs apartment on the sunny side of the building, it was especially difficult.  So I spent a lot of time at the library and whatever bookstores were nearby, reading and letting them pay the utility bills to keep me cool.  On one of these trips to a bookstore, I was flipping through one of those fancy "lifestyle" magazines that describes a lifestyle I'm not convinced anyone actually has, and there was a long article about the superiority of having your cook make her own pasta.  It included enough information to be interesting, but not enough to actually make the pasta without further instructions.  A pretty picture of the pile of flour with eggs nestled into its well, then a picture of the completed dish.  Admonitions to dry each hand-cut length of pasta over coated hangers around your kitchen, with no guide as to how long they would take to dry, how to cook them as compared to box pasta, or how long they'd remain shelf stable.

I was young enough to be entranced by the article.  Oddly, the recipe for Alfredo Sauce in the magazine was basically complete.  I was already carrying a small notebook in my purse at all times back then, so I furtively scribbled out as much of the article as I could without the bookstore employees noticing that I was copying info from a magazine I couldn't afford to buy.  The next time I changed notebooks, I copied those pages into it, and continued that for several years before ever getting around to trying the sauce recipe.  This is the descendant of the Fettuccine Alfredo shown in luscious two-page spread in a magazine I've long forgotten the name of.  Although I have made pasta occasionally in the years since, this recipe doesn't call for homemade.  I'm not generally well enough to put that kind of time in, and there are many good box pastas available.

• 4 oz fettuccine 
• 1/4 C butter
• 1/4 C cream
• 1/4 C + 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• dash salt
• pinch white pepper
• 2 thin slices prosciutto, chopped

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Add cream and heat, stirring constantly until combined.  Stir in Parmesan and pepper until smooth.  
2.  As pasta is draining, and with the sauce keeping warm over low heat, brown prosciutto in small skillet until crisp, being careful not to burn.  Spoon sauce over pasta and top with browned prosciutto and a little extra Parmesan if desired.

Robyn's notes: Dry long pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, linguine, or vermicelli, can be measured by holding them together in a bunch and wrapping a string around the bundle.  4 ounces being approximately 1 inch in diameter, the string should be a little more than 3 inches around the bundle.  You can buy long pasta measures from kitchen supply stores, which have marked holes of varying diameter, keep a string that you've marked off 1 inch lengths, or use a measuring tape.  It may seem as if there's not enough sauce to go around, as American restaurants tend to drown pasta in sauce, but this is not a sauce that you want gallons of.  If you use real imported Parmesan, which I prefer to do anytime I can afford it, the sauce will have some sweet undertones.  The prosciutto, being such a salty meat, helps cut through that.  

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Grilled Triple Cheese Sandwiches

Today, April 12th, is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. When I was growing up, our dad had only two meals in his repertoire, and one of them was grilled cheese sandwiches served with tomato soup. His version involved Wonder bread, Kraft singles, margarine, and Campbell's condensed (with Goldfish crackers swimming on top). As I've gotten older, my tastes and skills have moved on a bit, and while I still enjoy a good Goldfish cracker, the rest of those brands have fallen by the wayside.

So in honor of this very important holiday, I present a recipe and some tips for grilled cheese sandwich success.

• 4 slices Cheddar Cheese Bread
• 2 oz favourite cheese, grated (I used Kerrygold Dubliner)
  
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat nonstick pan over medium heat. Pile chosen cheese evenly onto two slices of bread. Top with remaining bread.
2. With pastry brush, coat top piece of bread on each sandwich with melted butter. Sprinkle Parmesan loosely onto buttered bread. Turning sandwich upside-down and holding both sides carefully closed, place into hot pan.
3. Brush melted butter over new top of sandwich and sprinkle Parmesan loosely onto buttered bread. Cover pan and cook over medium heat, checking bottom of sandwich often to ensure it doesn't burn.
4. When bottom of sandwich is golden, flip sandwich carefully with spatula. Cook, uncovered, until new bottom of sandwich is golden and center cheese is melted through.

Robyn's notes: I didn't use exactly as much cheese as I prepared, but close to it. Because the bread comes from a mini-loaf, if the sandwiches aren't served alongside anything else, a single sandwich won't be enough for each person. In that case, double this recipe and make two sandwiches per person. This was served, of course, with Quick Herb-Tomato Soup.

The above is all pretty standard; I think most of us know how to make a basic grilled cheese. The following tips, however, should help with making the most of the meal. First: grate your chosen cheese. Cheese is easiest to grate (and slice) when it's cold, but easiest to work with (and melt) when at room temperature. So grate the cheeses early on, and then allow them to come to room temperature or close to it (being careful not to just leave cheese lying around for too long, for safety's sake). Grated cheese will melt faster and more easily when making the sandwich. Second: do not slice the bread too thickly. The general rule of thumb is no thicker than 1/2inch, especially if the bread is particularly dense. The heat has to get through it to melt the cheese, after all. When you're piling the grated cheese onto the bread, don't be afraid to give it a good mush with your (clean) fingers. This helps in getting enough cheese into the sandwich, and also keeps it from falling out during the all-important flip. Third: use a non-stick pan. Cast-iron has its place, but not with grilled cheese. Start heating up that pan in advance, so that you place the prepared sandwich into a hot pan to begin with. Fourth: use real butter, not margarine or spreads. Salted butter supposedly has a nice flavour to it for this use, but I don't keep it in the house, so I can't confirm that. Butter the bread, not the pan. In the case of the recipe above, you must butter the bread in order to give the Parmesan something to stick to, but in all cases you want the sandwich holding the fat, not the pan. I've recommended brushing the butter on in melted form, because it's easier than trying to spread solid butter across bread without tearing the bread, and because it helps the butter coat the bread so that it cooks evenly. If this is not an option (no brush, for example), bring the butter to room temperature before beginning. Soft butter is easier to spread. Fifth: cover the sandwich as it cooks the first side, but not the second. Covering the sandwich helps retain heat to melt the center cheese before the bottom bread burns. The second side will cook faster, so it's best not to cover the sandwich after the flip as it may cook too fast to catch. Sixth: press down on the sandwich with the flat of the spatula after the flip, it helps the center cheese spread evenly. Finally: don't be in a rush. There is no reason to ever heat the burner to "high", keep it at medium or below.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Quick Herb-Tomato Soup

• 1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 C roasted garlic hummus
• 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp pepper (coarsely ground preferred)
• 1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, stir together all the ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Carefully pour into a blender and process until smooth (or remove from the heat and use an immersion, or handheld, blender).
2. Return to the pan. Heat over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just simmering. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with the parsley.

Robyn's notes: this was far too strongly herb flavoured. If making this again, I'd actually halve the amount of all of the herbs. It was quite easy and quick, though. Shown with Grilled Triple Cheese Sandwiches.

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes

Nutritional Facts: Exchanges = 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat. Calories 125; Calories from Fat 55; Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 1.1g; Trans Fat 0g; Polyunsaturated Fat 2.4g; Monounsaturated Fat 2.7g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbohydrate 16g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Sugars 7g; Protein 4g

Millionbøf

We've just returned from a trip to Solvang, an old Danish colony on the Central California Coast (Santa Barbara County). One of the real joys of a visit to a place like Solvang is experiencing the food. Scandinavian cuisine in general doesn't seem to get enough credit, but fortunately most people are well aware of the quality of Danish pastries and baked goods. We certainly enjoyed ourselves, being sure to visit some bakeries and to get æbleskiver alongside breakfast one morning.

Coming back, though, I decided that while we'd taken advantage of plenty of sweet treats (Danish waffles with buttercream and raspberry, eclairs, cheese bread, butter ring, etc.), we hadn't had much in the way of Danish entrees. My dietary restrictions made it somewhat difficult, but I knew there must be traditional dishes we hadn't stumbled across that I'd be able to eat. So upon returning home I did some research and discovered the dish known as millionbøf. Literally translated it means "million steak", as the meat is minced into many small pieces. I adapted this recipe from several informal versions I found and translated online. I do own one Scandinavian cookery book, and our local library has one other, but both are from the 1960s and focus mainly on herring dishes, so I had to rely on Google and myself for this (in other words, Danes, sorry if it's not exactly as it would be traditionally).

• 2 Tbsp finely diced onion
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2/3 C beef stock
• 1 heaping Tbsp flour
• 1/2 C water
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp kitchen bouquet
  

1. Sauté onions in fat of your choosing (I used butter). Add ground beef and brown for 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink, breaking up the beef completely with wooden spoon into tiny bits. Drain.
2. Add beef stock, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Whisk flour and water together and pour into beef mixture, stirring until mixture becomes thicker. Season with salt and pepper. Add kitchen bouquet and stir until fully combined. Serve over Mashed Potatoes.

Robyn's notes: before beginning, I patted the ground beef all over with a paper towel, to dry it. Drying beef helps it brown and in this case also made it easier to break up the meat into the small bits, so that it didn't clump together as ground beef sometimes will. Onions make me ill, so instead of finely dicing mine, I coarsely chopped them. Makes it easier to find them when I'm picking them out of my portion later. I might add some paprika when making this again, paprika being a common addition to the dish. Kitchen bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce found in US grocery stores.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Final note: we took the photo at the top of this entry just outside of the Village Spinning and Weaving store, where the owners were kind enough to spend a good half hour with me so that I could try out every spinning wheel they had assembled. I can easily recommend their shop, as well as Danish Mill Bakery, Mortensen's Bakery, and The Red Viking Restaurant.

Peach-Glazed Chicken

• 1/2 (15.25oz) can sliced peaches in fruit juice, drained with 1/4 C juice reserved
• 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried basil, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4oz each), all visible fat discarded, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• olive oil spray
• 1 tsp olive oil

1. In a small bowl, stir together the peaches, reserved juice, brown sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl, stir together the basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken. Lightly spray both sides with olive oil spray.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center. Push the chicken to one side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the pan, reserving the juice. Cook for 1 minute. Turn the peaches over and cook for 1 minute, or until lightly browned.
4. Pour in the reserved juice. Stir to combine the juice, chicken, and peaches. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the juices are slightly caramelized and glaze the chicken and peaches, stirring occasionally.

Robyn's notes: this went quickly and was quite good. The peaches, to me, seemed to soak up quite a bit of vinegar, but I was the only one who felt that way, and I'm sensitive to the taste (and smell) of vinegar, so most people probably wouldn't notice. The chicken was great. I served this over couscous (not included in Nutritional Analysis below), which I prepared by replacing some of the water with the leftover peach juice from the can. Usually I won't use recipes that call for "half a can" of anything, but when it's canned fruit it's not as big of a deal to me. I just put the remaining peaches into a container in the fridge and can have them as a side dish with lunch or as a snack the following day.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Nutritional Information: Exchanges = 1 Fruit, 1/2 Carbohydrate, 3 Lean Meat. Calories 250; Calories from Fat 45; Total Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 1.1g; Trans Fat 0.0g; Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g; Monounsaturated Fat 2.6g; Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 360mg; Total Carbohydrate 26g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 23g; Protein 25g

All-Purpose Crepes

I don't usually share recipes that have large yields, or recipes for freezing. I'm not someone who enjoys leftovers or thawing Tuesday's frozen food for Friday's dinner. Crepes, however, are different. When I was a small child, around 6 years old, I fell in love with crepes, and I've been filling them both sweet and savory ever since. This recipe has a large yield, and the finished crepes take up very little space in the fridge or freezer.

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 C flour
• 2 C milk
• 1/2 C melted butter

1. Combine ingredients in blender, blend for about 1 minute. Scrape down sides with rubber spatula and blend for another 15 seconds or until smooth.
2. Refrigerate batter at least 1 hour.
3. Brush pan with butter and heat over medium-high heat. Pour 2 to 3 Tablespoons of batter into pan (using a ladle makes this easier), and tilt pan in all directions to swirl the batter so that it covers the bottom of the pan in a very thin layer. Cook crepe until bottom is lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Turn carefully with spatula and brown the other side for a few seconds until set. Remove from pan with spatula; stack between layers of waxed paper.

Yield: 30 to 35 crepes

Robyn's notes: do not feel that your crepes need to be perfectly uniform in size or an exact circle. Basically you are making an exceptionally thin pancake. Whereas when making pancakes, you're watching for bubbles to form, when making crepes you're watching for the surface sheen to disappear. When the surface of the crepe batter appears dull, that's when it's time to turn the crepe over. Once the crepes have been made and stacked on the waxed paper, they can be stored in the fridge or freezer in a ziploc bag. Fridge for about a week, freezer for up to 4 months. This batter can be used for any manner of fillings, both sweet and savory. Be creative, or search "crepes" in the sidebar for my recipes using this base.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Chicken and Citrus Couscous Salad

• 1 C orange juice
• 2 tsp olive oil or butter
• 3/4 C plain couscous
• 6oz cubed fully cooked chicken breast (approximately 3/4 C)
• 1/4 C dry roasted peanuts
• 1/4 C mandarin orange segments, drained (or one "fruit cup" size)

1. In medium saucepan, bring orange juice and olive oil just to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, transfer to a covered dish, and refrigerate.
2. In 10-inch skillet, heat chicken and peanuts for 4-6 minutes, or until chicken is browned.
3. Add chicken and peanuts to cooled couscous, top with mandarin orange segments.

Robyn's notes: the couscous does not need to be cold, just cooled. This is meant to be a quick dish for a warm day, and if the couscous is hot it makes the orange segments seem kind of gummy. I served this on a bed of baby spinach.**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Frittata

• 4 C fresh spinach, stemmed and lightly packed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 C coarsely grated zucchini
• 1/2 C thinly sliced green peppers
• 1/2 C thinly sliced onions
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Wash the spinach in cold water to remove any sand and grit. Shake off the excess water but don't dry the spinach.
2. Place the spinach in a heavy 10" nonstick skillet with just the water left clinging to the leaves. Cook over medium heat until just wilted. Coarsely chop the spinach and set it aside.
3. Dry the skillet with a paper towel and place over medium heat for a minute or two. Add the oil, then stir in the zucchini, green peppers, and onions. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until the liquid released from the zucchini has evaporated and the vegetables have cooked down to about half their original volume. Stir in the spinach and remove the skillet from the heat.
4. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs, salt and pepper until foamy. Return the skillet to the heat and pour the eggs evenly over the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
5. Run a knife around the edge of the frittata to loosen it; then carefully invert it onto a plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cut into wedges and serve.

Robyn's notes: this is not something I can eat, but my sweetheart loves when I make frittatas. I like them as a way to use up leftover vegetables before they go bad. My general rule of thumb is about 1/2 cup cooked vegetables for every egg, and I briefly blanch raw veggies (except tomatoes and onions). One that I made that went over particularly well was mostly asparagus pieces, with extra Parmesan. Even though I can't eat them due to my dietary restrictions, I really like frittata nights because they're quick to make and I can make myself a fast omelet at the same time.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Stir-Fried Chicken with Toasted Sesame Seeds

• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 3 Tbsp dry mustard
• 1/2 C soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp canola or peanut oil
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• pepper to taste

1. Place sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat and cook briefly until nicely brown and fragrant. Place seeds in a small bowl.
2. Whisk the water, dry mustard, soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes and stir-fry 5-8 minutes until lightly brown and opaque. Sprinkle with pepper, lemon juice and remaining sesame seeds. Cook for 2-3 more minutes until heated through. Serve with mustard sauce as a dipping sauce.

Robyn's notes: this was seriously painful to eat. It has potential, but would need some changes. For me it was especially difficult because I'm not allowed to eat sesame seeds, but I felt that the toasted flavor they'd impart was probably necessary to make the recipe "go", so I didn't leave them out, which meant lots of scraping my food before I could eat it. For me, if I were to make it again, I'd strain part of the sauce and set it aside for my own use. In addition, I'd definitely reduce the amount of mustard and probably be more sparing with the lemon juice. Every time I put a piece of chicken in my mouth, my tongue seized up. I served this with white rice and glazed carrots.

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes

I did not take the below picture, forgive the poor angle

Skillet Spaghetti with Hot Dogs

• 1 1/4 C elbow macaroni
• 1/2 lb hot dogs, sliced into coins
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2oz (1/2 C) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 C water
• 1/2 C condensed tomato soup (half of a 10.75oz can)

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
2. In large skillet, fry hot dogs with onion and butter over medium heat. Add cheese, water, and soup. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Stir in cooked pasta and cook until heated through.


Robyn's notes: this is purely comfort food, I do not claim this as a healthy recipe. Ever since 1981, my family has used this as a go-to meal when everybody is tired or stressed and needs something quick and filling.  See "Using Up Ingredients" at the top of the page for suggestions for using the other half of the can of soup. Originally this recipe called for "sp-o-ghetti rings™" which I've never seen in stores (like the pasta in spaghetti-o's), we really just use whatever small pasta we have on hand. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Braised Broccoli With Whole Wheat Spaghetti

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 C coarsely chopped broccoli
• 1/2 C dry white wine or water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6oz whole wheat spaghetti

1. In a heavy, 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat, saute the garlic in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic begins to colour. Stir in the broccoli, wine or water, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid quickly to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender (if necessary to prevent sticking, add a little water from time to time).
2. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package but without salt. Drain and toss with the broccoli. Serve hot.

Robyn's notes: easy, quick. Good way to measure spaghetti is to keep a string in the kitchen marked off like a ruler. Wrap the string around the bundle of spaghetti. Two ounces of dry spaghetti = 2.25 inches circumference.

Madras Chicken and Broccoli Salad

• 8oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 1/3 C nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp prepared mango chutney
• 1 tsp hot Madras curry powder
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 C finely chopped broccoli
• 1/4 C finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 C chopped cashews

1. Place chicken in a small skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, chutney, curry and cilantro in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Add broccoli, onion, cashews and the cooked chicken; toss to coat.

Robyn's notes: I used regular curry powder. GFers: doublecheck the chutney when you buy it, most brands are GF. To use up leftover mango chutney, whisk with yogurt for a quick dressing, dip or marinade; serve alongside grilled meat, fish or chicken; blend with reduced-fat cream cheese for a spread. This was easy and quick to make.