Extra, Extra...Read All About It.....

People often ask me where I get all my recipes... and on this occasion, I'm happy to report that tonight's meal came straight from the newspaper via my dad who is always looking out for me. Reading the newspaper doesn't normally spread good cheer, however on this occasion, I'm ready to shout the greatness of tonight's recipe from the roof tops!  2 out of 4 Perry's found it to be "finger licking good"...the other 2 are not available for comment...ya, that's what we'll call it....ahem.

It wasn't described as an Asian dish, however to me it resembles something like General Tso's chicken.... sweet, spicy, sticky deliciousness!  Oh, and did I mention it was spicy ?  I served it with brown rice which did help to tone it down, however next time, I will probably cut the red pepper flakes in half. The original recipe called for cooking this in the oven, however with the Oklahoma heat wave in full force, I made it completely on the stove top and it turned out great. This is definitely a keeper and certainly worth spreading the news about!!

STICKY ORANGE CILANTRO SMOTHERED CHICKEN
(as featured in the Tulsa World on 07/31/13)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch chunks
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 TB brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (next time I will use 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 400 degrees. (Or you can cook this on the stove top as mentioned above.)
In a large oven safe skillet, mix the sauce ingredients together and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken, turning to coat and place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. If cooking on stove top, cover with lid for first 8-10 minutes, then remove lid, stir, and cook until completely cooked through and sauce thickens. 

This Little Piggy....

I'm not a huge pork fan, but this particular recipe is DElicious. Better still, it's super easy. The original recipe called for a can of corn. Instead, I just used a salsa that had corn in it; "Pace Fire Roasted Tomato and Corn Salsa". It's super flavorful and very tender. Basically all you have to do is brown your pork chops then let them simmer in a sauce composed of salsa, pinto beans, and spices. Perfect for those hot summer evenings when you want something quick.

SALSA SKILLET PORK CHOPS

6 boneless pork loin chops
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cup chunky salsa
2 TB water
1 tsp ground cumin

Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Brown chops on both sides in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.

Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour on top of chops in skillet. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Skinny Fried Chicken

Okay, I know what you're thinking...here we go with the oxymorons again. "Skinny" Fried Chicken? Yes! This recipe is baked but it actually has, as the hubster described it, "an almost like fried chicken" result. And he should know... I have tried a bazillion recipes for baked chicken with little success. The secret this recipe has is the addition of baking soda to the breading mixture. The results were really good. So good, that I've made this twice now before having time to blog about it. The original recipe (not to be confused with a certain famous bearded franchise') calls for using chicken drumsticks, which I did. The second time I made it, I used boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins which cook much quicker. The garlic and yogurt marinade produces a really moist flavorful chicken. Cooking the chicken on a wire rack and spraying it with olive oil cooking spray ensures its crispiness. One thing I will say is the second time around, I flipped the chicken in the middle of cooking so that both sides could crisp. This is definitely a keeper and I hope you'll give it a try !

"Skinny Fried Chicken"

1 cup fat free plain Green yogurt
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed (or chicken tenderloins)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

In a large resealable bag combine yogurt, mustard, and garlic. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In another plastic bag mix dry ingrediants. Remove chicken from marinade and add one piece at a time to flour mixture, close bag and shake to coat. Place on a well greased wire rack over a baking sheet. Spritz chicken with cooking spray. Bake drumsticks 40-45 minutes, turning once while baking. (If using chicken tenderloins, bake time will be approximately 20-25 minutes)

"Nacho Mama's Chicken & Rice Casserole"

We've all had traditional chicken and rice casserole...it's yummy, savory, creamy, and just plain comfort food good. Your mom probably made it for church suppers, BUT, this is NOT your mama's recipe. Oh no. This is meatier and even better than that.... it's made in the crock pot ! Now as usual, the original recipe called for some yummy goodness that I had to omit for my family, but feel free to add "de spices" as you would desire. (it actually called for diced red pepper, celery, and onion) And I'm writing about this before we eat, so hopefully we will not have to resort to "stretchy pants" afterwards, however,if my pre-taste testing is correct, we may just have to !


Crock Pot Chicken & Rice

4-6 chicken breast, cooked and diced with 4 cups broth reserved
1/2 lb pork sausage, cooked
1/2 Hillshire Farm smoked sausage, sliced and cooked
1 pkg dry chicken noodle soup packet
1 cup rice

Mix all together in crock pot and cook 2-4 hours until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Oxymorons....

The dictionary definition of oxymoron is:- "A rhetorical figure of speech in which contradictory terms are paired, for example, alone together, current history or boneless ribs." I decided accidentally on purpose to title this post "Oxymorons" because of the name of my favorite meatloaf recipe which I will be sharing with you today. It is called "Daddy's Favorite Meatloaf" which in our family is a little big oxymoron because the daddy in THIS house would not eat meatloaf if his life depended on it. Sometimes I think the man would give his right arm to be ambidextrous. Not that we have had any friendly fights regarding this subject matter, however I think it would be easier to convince ME to eat jumbo shrimp than it would be to get him to try my meatloaf. (If you've read my past posts, you'll remember my strong feelings towards seafood, but I digress. Moving right along, this is my absolute favorite meatloaf recipe because of the tangy mixture of ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar glaze that gives it a barbeque flavor. It's great served hot or cold on sandwiches. And in the big scheme of things, I guess it's not the end of the world if this isn't MY children's daddy's favorite meatloaf. Afterall, we must remember that we're all unique just like everyone else. Bon Appetite !

(someone's) DADDY'S FAVORITE MEATLOAF

1 cup quick oats
2 eggs
1/3 cup ketchup
1 pkg beefy onion dry soup mix
1/2 cup water
2 TB Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup frozen shredded hashbrowns
2 cups lean ground beef

In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly; stir in remaining ingrediants except meat. Add meat and mix well. Pat mixture into a standard size loaf pan or two small loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Topping Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TB mustard

Mix together and spread on meatloaf after it has cooked for one hour. Cook an additional 15 minutes and then remove from oven to cool and serve.

Pssssst..... Pass It On.....

You should know by now that I love recipes. I collect them in a variety of different ways such as magazines, websites, TV shows, and probably my most favorite method, from friends. Now, don't get me wrong, you don't have to cook to be my friend... but it doesn't hurt ! My friend Stacy, who has made previous appearances on my blog, shared a few recipes with me last week when my beloved out dated, temperature challenged, too small oven finally went out. (Can you tell I'm really upset by it's passing?) Anyway, she most graciously sent me some of her family tried and true recipes that didn't require an oven. Tonight we feasted on her "Santa Fe Stew", which was absolutely DELICIOUS. Now, it resembles Weight Watchers Taco Soup recipe, as I'm sure many of you have tried, but it has a few variations that I really like quite a bit better. With her permission, here is a really yummy and satisfying recipe for a cold and rainy day like today. Do your friends a favor and pass it on!

STACY'S SANTA FE STEW

2 lbs hamburger meat-browned and drained
1 pkg ranch seasoning
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cans green beans
2 cans corn
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can Rotel

Mix everything together and cook until heated through.

Spies Like Us....

I really am just your typical wife and mother. My average day is filled with laundry, dishes, and nothing out of the ordinary. Really. Except when it comes to cooking. Sometimes, I find myself giving in to a very devious and secretive alter-ego that begs me to slip something unconventional into my family's dinner, just to see if I can get by with it. Now before you get the wrong idea, it's always something they SHOULD eat, but otherwise refuse to. Deceitful ? Possibly, but it's not like they asked me, "Hey mom, did you throw in some extra vegetables again tonight?" If they asked... I PROMISE I would tell them. But alas, they don't ask, so I continue to get away with my covert missions. Tonight's menu consisted of chili... PUMPKIN chili that is....(Insert evil laugh here) baahaahaaahaa

My verdict is, it was okay. You really cannot taste the pumpkin, but it was a little bland for my taste. Next time I make it, I will probably omit using chili powder alone and instead stir in a store bought chili seasoning kit like "Williams Chili Seasoning". It also has green and yellow peppers which are STRICTLY prohibited in my kitchen...unless no one is looking.... I threw these in the food processor and processed the living daylights out of them until they were unrecognizable. So there you have it. Just a few of my stealthy secrets. Cue the Mission Impossible Music...This recipe will self destruct in 5 seconds....

PUMPKIN CHILI

1 small green pepper, chopped
1 small yellow pepper, chopped
1 TB canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
1 can (14 1/2 oz) tomatoes, undrained
4 1/2 tsp chili powder (or chili mix seasoning)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Saute peppers in oil in a large skillet until tender. Add garlic and cook for one minute longer. Crumble meat into skillet and cook until no longer pink.

Transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in pumpkin, tomatoes, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with toppings of your choice.

I like my.....

Apparently, my kindergardener had an assignment where they had to finish the sentence, "I like my....." and then had to draw whatever they picked. As depicted below, my son decided he likes large sombrero like hats. Who knew?! Anyway, it got me thinking... everyone likes different things. Especially when it's cold outside, it just seems the perfect time to pull out all of those yummy soup and/or chili recipes.

Potato soup has always been a favorite of mine and holds many memories of growing up.  Particularly on Halloween night, my mom would make a big pot of potato soup before we would head out trick or treating.  Talking to her today, she told me my dad is wanting potato soup almost every day for dinner lately... which she thinks is CRAZY; not me... I'm with you dad.  I like my potato soup too !   This recipe is a little different, but it did not disappoint.  The added veggies were obviously a plus but also, the ham lends a subtle smoky flavor.  Delicious ! 

So what have we learned today boys and girls?  To each his own I suppose.  You say potaTOE, I say potato, and Grant likes LARGE hats.  Alrighty then !  Stay warm everyone !

Cream of Potato Soup
8 potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, diced
a few sprinkles of onion powder
1 stalks of celery, diced (or substitute a little celery salt)
1 cup diced ham
5 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 TB dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup margarine
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup sour cream

Add everything except milk, cheese, and sour cream to a Crock Pot. Cook soup on high for 5-6 hours. Add milk, cheese, and sour cream 30 minutes before serving. Stir well to blend.

Not Your Average Gumbo…

 

So for my first new recipe of 2013 the Perry’s are kicking it Cajun style !  This recipe rocked and everyone ate it which = SUCCESS !  I was very cautious with the spices, but the hubster thought it could have been spicier.  I think it was pretty close to perfect if you’re serving little mouths.  It is a bit time consuming, but worth it.  I actually cooked this Saturday afternoon and reheated for tonight’s dinner. The recipe said it could take up to 30 minutes for the roux to develop into a brown color, but I found my light weight cookware to bring it up to temperature in about 10. This is just where you will have to experiment and watch carefully.  That would be my only caution.  Try it out…this of course is a SEAFOOD FREE Gumbo… but I’m sure you could try different varieties of “protein” in it. Also, as far as the “veggies” went, I basically turned them into a puree before cooking so nothing could be identified….(it’s what I do)… I halved this recipe as it originally yielded 9 servings.  I will print it in its entirety and you can adjust as needed.  We served it over rice and like I said, it was very delicious.  I’m not usually a Cajun food fan so was pleasantly surprised at this little gem.  Fish or no Fish…I definitely think it’s a keeper ! 

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO

2 TB Cajun seasoning, divided 

1 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

3 lbs skinless chicken

1/2 cup  plus 2 TB  canola oil, divided

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper

2 celery ribs finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups water

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 lb fully cooked andouille sausage sliced

2 TB Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

 

1. In a small bowl, mix 1 TB Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 pepper; rub over chicken. In a Dutch oven, brown chicken in 2 TB oil in batches; remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

2. Add remaining oil to same pan; stir in flour until blended. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until browned. (Can take up to 30 minutes…be patient and keep stirring!) Add onion, peppers, and celery; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

3. Gradually add water and stock. Stir in the sausage, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, chicken, and the remaining Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper (I did not add any more seasoning to mine at this point).  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for one hour or until chicken is very tender.

4. Remove chicken from pan and shred and then return to pot. Serve over rice.

2012, where did you go ?

Wow, it has been QUITE a while since I have last posted anything on this blog.  The last few months of 2012 have been a roller coaster, yet ironically, I have nothing outstanding or noteworthy to show for it.  Just a year of changing schedules, increased work demands, and my family's hustle and bustle to blame for blog inactivity.  And I use the term "blame" loosely. I'm not bitter about it, honest.  I've just had bigger fish to fry...pun INtended (for those of you who know my opinion of fish.)  I do hope to continue this blog journey though. It has been very fulfilling and fun to seek out new recipes and share the outcomes.  And I must say, my family's healthier eating journey that we began last year did pay off with my hubby and I achieving a combined total of 32 lbs less than where we were last year at this time.  I would like to claim that as a grand success, but alas, I would be amiss if I didn't admit to actually having lost more than that at one time, but with the stress and business of the holiday season... we find ourselves pulling ourselves up from our bootstraps and starting over once again.  I will share something that gives me hope for the coming year and it comes from God's word, which is a pretty good place to look if you need encouragement....
"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."  John 6:35
Jesus in this verse promises us that when we come to Him, He fulfills our every need. But the thought recently occurred to me, I do not make it a practice to eat one meal and expect to never get hungry the rest of the day, or for that matter, the rest of the week. So how can I expect to be spiritually "full" if I only ingest God's word sporadically ?   It's a thought that has challenged my heart and I hope to incorporate as part of my healthy lifestyle in 2013. I need so much more than just fruits and vegetables in my diet, I need the living, breathing word of life to nourish and sustain me.  I'll end with one of my favorite verses,
"Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."  Psalm 34:8
I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I serve the one who does. I also know that when I go to Him, He never disappoints me, and so as I enter 2013, I look forward to seeing what sort of "dish" He decides to serve me this year.  My spiritual taste buds are ready !