A 30-minute meal after a short-staffed winter work day is just what I needed. This one's inspired by Rachael Ray Magazine.
Chicken with Fennel & Almonds
(Serves 3)
1 Tablespoon Almonds
Toast, cool and crush.
1/2 Fennel Bulb, sliced thin
6 Pearl Onions, quartered
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Saute in oil 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add:
2/3 cup Chicken Broth, low sodium
1/3 Anise Star, broken
Reduce heat to low.
1 8 oz. Chicken Breast, pounded thin and cut in thirds
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
Dredge chicken in flour. Shake off excess. Add to skillet.
Increase temperature to medium high. Cook chicken on each side for 5 minutes.
Add:
1/4 cup White Wine
3 Mushrooms, sliced thin
Check temperature of chicken, making sure it reaches 165 degrees.
Garnish with:
2 Mini Red Sweet Peppers, cut in rings
Fennel Fonds
Crushed Almonds
I'm going to bed earlier tonight to prepare for a very cold drive to work tomorrow!
Vegetables in every color comprise tonight's dinner with Pasta Primavera and Spinach Phyllo Tartlets. Thanks to Better Homes and Gardens and Food Network Magazines for the inspiration.
Spinach and Gorgonzola Tartlets
(6 Tarts-Serves 2)
1 sheet Phyllo Dough
1 Tablespoon Earth Blend Buttery Spread, melted
Brush phyllo sheet with melted spread. Cut into 18 squares. Arrange 3 squares each (1 at a time) in each mini muffin tin cup.
Filling
10 oz. Fresh Spinach
Microwave for 60 seconds. Squeeze out moisture. Drain on paper towel.
1 Tablespoon Earth Blend Buttery Spead
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Saute garlic in spread. Add:
1/4 teaspoon All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Skim Milk
Pinch Fresh Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon Gorgonzola
3/4 teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Zest
Remove from heat. Stir in:
1 Egg Yolk
Spinach
1 Egg White
Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into Spinach Mixture. Fill Phyllo Cups.
Top with:
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
Bake at 350 F. for 15 minutes.
Pasta Primavera
(Serves 3)
3 oz. Spinach Linguine
Bring water to a boil. Add linguine. Cook 3 minutes.
Add:
1/2 Zucchini, halved and sliced thinly
1 small Yellow Squash, halved and sliced thinly
1 cup Snap Peas, ends snipped and pea halved
2 Mini Sweet Peppers, red and yellow, cut in rings
Cover and cook 3 minutes more.
Drain pasta. Stir in:
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, quartered
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, snipped
1 Tablespoon Parsley, snipped
Garnish with:
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
A "first" for my husband eating beets in this Wild Salmon with Beets and Orange Vinaigrette dinner. The recipe is from The Local Palate.
Wild Salmon with Beets and Orange Vinaigrette
(Serves 2)
Roasted Beets
1/2 large Beets, peeled and diced
Roast on parchment paper in 400 F. oven for 30 minutes.
Pureed Beets
1 1/2 large Beets, peeled and sliced thin
Cover with water. Add:
1 Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoons Sugar
Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes until beets are tender. Blend with
2 Tablespoons Milk
Orange Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Canola Oil
1 teaspoon White Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Sweet Red Pepper, minced
Mix in a shaker.
Salmon
1 Wild Salmon Fillet, skin on
Saute skin down in
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
until interior is 155 degrees F.
Garnish
2 Tablespoons Parsley
1 Yellow Carrot, peeled and shaved
Cooked Wild Rice and Brown Rice Blend
To serve, arrange as follows:
Pureed Beets
Roasted Beets
Rice
Salmon
Shaved Carrots
Parsley
Orange Vinaigrette
Have a great week!
New Year's Day was a happy one enjoying the company of our grown children. My lucky food symbolic of the New Year was the bread ring. This symbolizes the Circle of Life- Bob and I are nearing retirement and our kids are ready for the next stage of their young lives. For lunch, I made one of Greg's favorite meals-Stuffed Flank Steak.
Stuffed Flank Steak
(Serves 4)
1 # Beef Flank Steak
2 Tablespoons Lite Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 teaspoons Dry Mustard
2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
Cut a pocket in the flank steak. Mix the marinade and fill pocket and outside of steak. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, begin cooking the rice mixture on the stove top:
2 cups Water
1/4 cup Wild Rice
3/4 cup Brown Rice
2 Carrots, shredded
1/4 cup Onions, diced
Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Add the marinade to the rice mixture. Stuff steak with rice mixture.
Place steak in baking dish, adding rest of rice to pan. Cover and bake at 350 F. for 1 hour. Slice meat across the grain.
I adapted the bread recipe from one in this month's Saveur Magazine.
Swedish Cinnamon-and-Cardamom Bread
(20 Slices)
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 1/2 cups Skim Milk
Scald milk. Stir in buttery spread.
Cool to 125 degrees F.
Add:
2 teaspoons Dry Yeast
2 Tablespoons Sugar
In a mixing bowl with dough hook place
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, lightly crushed
Slowly add warm milk mixture to flour, beating at medium speed 2 minutes.
Continue adding rest of flour, kneading until flour leaves the sides of the bowl.
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Place dough in a bowl sprayed with Pam. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Filling
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, finely crushed
Punch dough down. Roll to rectangle, 11 X 17 inches. Spread filling to within 1/2 inch from ends. Roll dough, the shape into a circle. Let rise 45 minutes.
With kitchen shears, cut strips 3/4 of the way into dough, spacing 1 inch apart and 1 inch from ends. Fan top strips.
Brush top with
1 Egg, beaten
Sprinkle with
Turbinado Sugar
Bake at 375 F. 25 minutes.
Our meal included sauteed squash, mushrooms and peppers and a delicious fresh pineapple. Greg brought some Mexican Coke in bottles.
This is our fun centerpiece inspired by Rachael Ray Magazine. I brushed the number candles with Mod Podge, then sprinkled with silver glitter. We lit the sparkler candles on New Year's Eve.
Happy New Year!
A whole chicken breast, cut in 6 pieces, hard cooked eggs, vegetables and a delicious sauce comprised tonight's dinner and a few more lunches to come. The original recipe is from Food and Wine Magazine.
Double Cluck Stew
(Serves 6)
1 whole Chicken Breast
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Flatten breast and saute in olive oil 8 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
1 teaspoon Canola Oil
1/4 cup Onions, diced
3 mini Sweet Peppers, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 teaspoons Garlic, shredded
Saute vegetables until soft.
Add:
1 Carrot, peeled and cut in 3/4 inch pieces
4 Red Potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup Wine (I used White Zinfandel)
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 Anise Star
1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth, low sodium
1/4 cup Parsley, snipped
Chicken Breast, cut in 6 pieces
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add:
2 Hard Cooked Eggs, cut in quarters
We ate ours with Multigrain Tuscan Bread and Earth Balance Buttery Spread.
Cranberry Grilled Cheese on Marble Rye, surrounded by Fresh Green Beans and Mashed Vegetables made for a colorful, back to work dinner!
Fresh Cranberry Chutney
(5 cups)
12 ounce fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
Bring to a boil; stir frequently. Simmer 15 minutes.
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup celery, diced
1 apple, cored and diced
Stir in. Cover and refrigerate.
Cranberry Grilled Cheese on Marble Rye
(Serves 1)
2 Slices Marble Rye
2 teaspoons Earth Blend Buttery Spread
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, part-skim
1 Tablespoon Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup Cranberry Chutney, drained
"Butter" bread on 1 side. Place buttered side down in pan. Add cheeses and chutney. Grill over medium heat until brown; turn and repeat on other side.
Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables
(Serves 2)
1 Russet Potato, peeled and cubed
1 Carrot, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup Cauliflower Flowers
1/4 cup Skim Milk
Cook vegetables in water until tender. Drain and mash. Slowly add heated milk.
Have a great week!
Pumpkin Cranberry Hummus in Festive Winter Squashes accompanied my vegetable trays for the engagement party we attended today.
Pumpkin Orange Cranberry Hummus
(Serves 16)
1 cup Great Northern Beans (I used the cooked frozen Hanover brand without salt)
1 cup Pumpkin
1/4 cup Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Dash Allspice
1/2 cup Fresh Cranberries
Puree in food processor.
The family of the couple brought party foods for the buffet at the cafe and bar. We worked on puzzles and had a good time with our family, theirs and listening to the young folks have fun.
The bride-to-be is the sister of our daughter-in-law Michelle. Congratulations Jeff and Christina.
