Recipes

[VaBelle35]

Shrimp Salad Sandwich

I make this as a salad over lettuce and I use frozen mini shrimp so that it doesn't have to be deveined.

Ingredients:

12 oz frozen cooked shrimp (peeled, deveined and tails removed), defrosted, drained and roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Dash hot sauce, optional

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 lightly packed cups arugula or baby spinach

4 whole-grain Kaiser-style rolls or whole-grain buns, split and toasted

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, celery, yogurt, dill and
Dijon. Season with hot sauce, if desired, and salt and
pepper. Divide shrimp mixture, tomatoes and arugula
between rolls

NEXT INGREDIENT:  HOT SAUCE

[Coquille]

Hot Wings

4lbs chicken wings, tips off and cut in half (I don't cut them in half) I make 35-40 wings on 2 pans, 3/4 cup HOT SAUCE, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 Tbsp melted butter, smoked paprika (optional).  Blue Cheese Sauce: 1 1/2 cups gorgonzola, 1 cup mayo, 3/4 cups sour cream, 2 Tbsp milk, 3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce, touch kosher salt, or any Ranch Dressing.

Preheat oven 400 degrees. I line the pan or pans with aluminum foil. Place the wings on a jelly roll pan and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl with the HOT SAUCE, vinegar, butter and paprika (I do not use the paprika). Marinate at least 3 hours. I usually marinate overnight. Preheat oven to 400, place the wings on the jelly roll pan or pans and cook 10 minutes, turn and continue to cook another 10 minutes. At this point, I replace the tin foil with fresh pieces and then place the wings under the broiler for 5 minutes on each side.

Mix all ingredients together for the sauce while the wings are cooking and refrigerate.

Next Ingredient : Bulgar or Cracked Wheat

[GenXmuse]

Bulgur Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Parsley, Mint, and Lemon

1 cup bulgur
1 cup boiling water
zest of one lemon (optional, but good)
3 T fresh lemon juice
3 T olive oil
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used curly parsley, but either type will work)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup sliced green onions
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Measure out 1 cup bulgur into a bowl big enough to hold the finished salad. Add 1 cup boiling water, stir, and let bulgur soak until all the water is absorbed. (The recipe said 30 minutes, but I soaked the bulgur about 80 minutes, which made it nice and fluffy.)

While bulgur soaks, zest one lemon and put zest into a small bowl. Squeeze lemon juice into bowl, adding more if needed to make 3 T lemon juice. Add finely minced garlic, then whisk in 3 T olive oil. When bulgur has absorbed all the water, stir in this dressing and let marinate while you chop herbs and veggies.

Wash parsley and mint and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Chop herbs and slice green onions and stir into bulgur. Peel cucumbers and remove seeds if the seeds are big. (I had garden cucumbers, so I left the seeds in. Dice cucumbers and tomatoes into pieces about 1/2 inch, then gently stir into salad. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve.

Even though tomatoes should never be refrigerated, I was surprised that this was still quite good after it had been in the fridge overnight. Let come to room temperature before eating leftovers if possible.

Next Ingredient: LEMON

[VaBelle35]

Perfect Roast Chicken - Ina Garten

If I make a roast chicken, I either use this recipe or Martha Stewart's recipe.  I don't think I've ever made the gravy, I don't generally eat gravy with roast chicken.  I just like the chicken.

1 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced

1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Scatter the onion slices around the chicken. Roast the chicken for 1-1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.

Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all the fat from the bottom of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in a small cup. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan. Combine the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat with the flour and add to the pan. Boil for a few minutes to cook the flour. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and season it to taste. Keep it warm over a very low flame while you carve the chicken. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve immediately with the warm gravy.

NEXT INGREDIENT:  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

[walker]

Chicken Breast Bundles with Cranberry Chutney

Chutney ....

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 pear, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon vinegar

Bundles ......

1/4 cup butter

8 (about 4 oz) boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

1 container spreadable cream cheese with garlic and herbs

1 egg, beaten, if desired at end

In microwave-safe bowl combine all chutney ingredients; cover with microwave-safe wax paper.  Microwave on high

for 5-6 minutes or until cranberries pop open, stirring twice.  Let stand until thickened and cool.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle 4 chicken breast halves with 1/8 teaspoon pepper; add to skillet.  Cook 8-10 minutes or until well-browned on both sides.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves.  Cool slightly.  

Separate both cans of crescent rolls into 8 rectangles.  Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread cream cheese evenly in center of each rectangle.  Place chicken on top of cream cheese; wrap dough around chicken.  Press seam to seal.  Place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes or until golden brown; brushing lightly with egg during last 5 minutes, if desired.

Stir cranberry chutney; serve with chicken bundles or serve with regular cranberry sauce.

Serves 8.

NEXT INGREDIENT ...... STRAWBERRIES, fresh or frozen

[Zhills]

Cut up the strawberries into slices and mash about half of them. Add a little sugar to taste. I used about a 1/2 cup for 2 qts. of strawberries.

Let set out until berries are sweet. (I fix and let set overnight for breakfast.)

Top waffles with the strawberries. Cover with sweetened whipped cream.  Yummy!

I use storebought waffles and Reddi Whip!

Oh, yeah!  Spread those berries out so the juice is all over your waffles, like syrup covers!

Next ingredient:  Noodles...any!

[GenXmuse]

Dragon Noodles

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
4 oz. lo mein noodles
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 
1 large egg 
1 Tbsp brown sugar 
1 Tbsp soy sauce 
1 Tbsp sriracha rooster sauce 
1 handful fresh cilantro 
1 sliced green onion 

INSTRUCTIONS
Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes).

While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.

In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat.

When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

Next Ingredient: BUTTERNUT SQUASH 

[VaBelle35]

Technically this is for breakfast, but I make this as a side dish for dinner.

Apple & Bacon Butternut Squash Hash

Ingredients:

About 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (fresh not frozen)

1 cup diced tart apples (about 1 large apple, use Granny Smiths)

4-5 strips Bacon

1/4 cup or more chopped green onions

1/2 tsp coarse ground salt (or to taste)

fresh cracked pepper to taste

We like to add a handful of pecans at the end too.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to broil (you can skip the broiling and cook everything in the pan too, but pre cook the butternut squash first)

2. After prepping the ingredients, heat a large skillet over a medium heat.

3. While the skillet is heating up, spread the diced butternut squash out evenly onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place under the broiler. Boil the butternut squash till it just starts to brown in spots and develop a skin, takes about 10-15 minutes. Stir once halfway through cooking. Watch that it doesn’t burn to much though. Remove from the oven.

4. While the butternut squash is baking, add the bacon to the preheated skillet. Cook till crispy, then set aside to drain and cool, then break into pieces. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet for frying the squash.

5. Add all the butternut squash and apples to the bacon fat (if it has cooled down too much reheat before adding these ingredients) Continue to cook and stir the hash over medium-medium high heat until the apples just begin to soften. It helps to spread the hash evenly around the pan, then let it sit for a moment before continuing to flip/stir it around again. This will help it to ‘brown’ instead of steam itself, which could result in a soggy hash.

6. Remove from the heat, add the bacon pieces, scallions, coarse salt and cracked pepper to taste (and pecans). Toss to combine.

NEXT INGREDIENT:  Acorn Squash

[GenXmuse]

ACORN SQUASH WITH DATES & THYME

12 SERVINGS

Ingredients

3 small acorn squash (about 3 lb.), scrubbed, cut into ½” wedges
½ bunch thyme
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil or unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 dates, pitted, quartered
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss squash, thyme, garlic, olive oil, and coconut oil in a large baking dish; season with kosher salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 40–45 minutes. Add dates; toss to coat. Roast until squash are very tender and dates are soft, 12–15 minutes.
Arrange squash, dates, garlic, and thyme on a platter, spoon any oil in dish over squash, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Next Ingredient: LEEKS

[Zhills]

MINESTRONE     (easy to double or triple)

1 T            olive oil

½ C           onion

1               leek

½ C           carrots

½ C           celery

Saute 5 minutes

ADD:

1                potato

½ C            cooked dry beans

Cook 10 minutes

ADD:

1 can           Broth

1 can           water

1                tomato (fresh)

Cook 20 minutes

ADD:

½ C            cabbage

½ C            greens (mild)

½ C            zucchini

ADD:

Pasta if desired

Cook 10-15

Add meatballs for a complete meal.

Serve with Cornbread!

Time consuming but well worth it!  Beautiful presentation as all veggies maintain color and crispness.

Next ingredient:  Cabbage