Sunday, June 14, 2009

Dutch Baby with strawberries and cream cheese topping = Yummo!

I bought a huge amount of strawberries last week and I was trying to figure out what to do with them all. So I perused some recipes and combined a few ideas. It turned out awesome!

I started with a Dutch baby. To me it tastes like a thick crepe. We usually make one at least once on the weekend sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Heat oven to 400. While oven is heating place 9x12 glass pan in oven with a stick (or T less) of butter so that the butter melts.

Mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 eggs, a sprinkle or so of cinnamon, a t. of vanilla. (Check on butter. Take it out of the oven when it is almost all melted.)

Pour batter into pan.

Bake for 15 minutes

Sift some powdered sugar on top.

This alone makes for a tastey treat.

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I had already sliced up a bunch of strawberries and put 2-3 T of sugar on them so that they were making a nice syrup.

Next I took 1 package of cream cheese, a 1/4 cup or less of sugar, a dallop or so of plain yogurt (optional) and whipped until smooth.

I spread this mixture on the puffed pancake (Dutch Baby) and spooned the strawberries on top. Oh it was Heavenly.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Chicken Ole

Chicken Ole Crock pot or 40 min in a 350 degree oven

This is a dish that my sister-in-law and her mom made for us soon after my daugter was born. It was so yummy! I had to have the recipe.  This is one of my favorite crock pot recipes for chicken but I often make it in the oven because I don't plan well enough in advance.  So I turned it into one of my favorite quick chicken breast recipes.

-one cooked whole body chicken, in bite size pieces. Cook a whole body chicken on the stove with an onion by bringing cold water to a boil and then simmering it on the stove for 1 1/2 hour-2 hours. (I have boiled 2-3 breasts and then shredded them. Much faster and easier. I have also had baked chicken on the first night. Then the next boiling the remaining chicken and taking all the meat off.)

-12 corn tortillas, torn up in bite size pieces (I have used flour when I didn't have corn- works very well also)

-mix together a part of a small can of mild green chilie salsa (to taste), 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, one small container of sour cream (I think it's 6 oz) I use light.  I often substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream and it comes out just as great.

layer the chicken, cream mixture, and tortillas. I do about 6 or 9 layers

cook on low for about 4 hours

You might also like this chicken breast dinner or this chicken and stuffing dish.  I make them both about once every month or so.  I am always on the lookout for easy chicken dinner recipes.  If you have any go ahead and comment or put your link in the comment box.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Cornish Game Hens with Garlic and Rosemary

So this is what I'm having tonight. Yum. I've used this recipe once before. Very tasty. I only buy these when they are .99/lb or less.

Cornish Game Hens with Garlic and Rosemary





PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 20 Min

Serves 4



INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Cornish game hens
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-4 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  2. Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Beans and Rice--- Five Ways

I subscribe to the FlyLady listserve, and received this e-mail today. I LOVE it! I'm a big fan of beans and rice, and we usually eat them at least one day a week. I looked all over their Food For Thought website to see if these recipe variations were listed there so that I could link, and they aren't. So I guess I'll copy and paste these ideas.

Beans (some form... black, pinto, kidney, etc.) and Rice (brown for nutrition) should be made ahead of time.

For ease of accomplishment, these "recipes" are servings for ONE. Multiply as needed. One serving equals 1 cup rice, 1 cup beans. You can bag these beans up in freezer quality bags and freeze in serving sizes (either individually or enough to serve your family) if you want. You can do the same thing with the rice. Once you have all those beans and rice packages, here's what you can do when you thaw them out. Remember, these are servings for ONE…multiply them out as needed to serve your family:

For the Mexican-Style Beans and Rice: Serve the rice and beans plain with salsa, sour cream, grated cheese over the top and a quesadilla on the side.

For the Jamaican-Style Beans and Rice: In a saucepan over a medium heat, add beans, add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, a pinch of thyme, a clove of crushed garlic and heat through till warm and bubbly. Serve over rice with chopped green onions on top.

New Orleans-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute 1/4 cup each: onion, green bell pepper and celery. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1/8 teaspoon thyme. Mix this into the beans and serve with a bottle of Tabasco or other hot sauce.

Southern-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion, then add 1 cup chopped frozen greens. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, a pinch of thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth. Add 1/2 cup beans and simmer till greens are tender. Serve over rice.

Indian-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped tomato and cook till tender. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon curry powder. Add the beans and simmer for five minutes. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro on top.

Make sure you check out the Food for Thought website. There are some great crockpot recipes and menu-planning ideas!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Red Beans and Rice

This is good! I've made it once and am going to make it again this week. I've tried a couple recipes for this before but this one is the best I've found. I was shooting for my Dominican red beans and rice and this definitely has that taste. This is full of flavor. Enjoy! If you're thinking about making this remember the beans have to soak overnight or for 8 hours.  Also there have been times I have omitted the celery and the ham hocks and I thought the taste was still great.  Oh, and I don't think I've ever had the fresh spices on hand.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
  • 3 tablespoons bacon grease
  • 1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces. Once I used chorizo and it turned out great.
  • 1 pound smoked ham hocks
  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Southern or Creole seasoning
  • 10 cups chicken stock, or water
  • 4 cups cooked white rice
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Add the southern seasoning to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.