Curried Squash & Chicken Soup
It is COLD COLD COLD outside… and I’m in the south, so I couldn’t even imagine what my friends and family are experiencing up north… so in honor of the official day of winter fast approaching and the premature arctic temperatures outside I offer this recipe! Winter Squash is (obviously) in season now and it’s important to get vegetables in the winter when we don’t necessarily think of things as being “in season” (another great winter food: the pomegranate)… needless to say this is a DELICIOUS slightly spicy, warm-you-to-your-core lunch… toast up some bread and dip it into the soup to fill up faster… (this serves 2 ppl)
Ingredients
- 10-ounces pureed winter squash (can use frozen if you can’t find fresh)
- 1/2 cup lite coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Heat squash, coconut milk and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes (or if using frozen squash, until it fully defrosts). Add chicken, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, lime juice, sugar, curry paste to taste and salt and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.
Note: Red curry paste is a blend of chile peppers, garlic, lemongrass and galangal (a root with a flavor similar to ginger). Look for it in jars or cans in the Asian section of the supermarket or specialty stores.
Black Bean and Corn Salad
I love this salad its quick and easy AND the leftovers can be used in all kinds of ways. toss it with lettuce and throw on a vinaigrette, use as a salsa over chicken or fish, or mix in with rice for a tex-mex side. OR like me, enjoy it by itself… and its healthy!
Ingredients:
1 can black bean, drained
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp, chopped Fresh cilantro
2-3 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions:
1. Drain the corn and beans and rinse in cold water.
2. Mix all ingredients in a salad bowl.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and a Dill Sauce
Its my birthday today and so I am treating myself to WONDERFUL FOOD… since that is what I love the most! This morning I am going to combine two of my favorite things: eggs and salmon. I happened to have some smoked salmon in the fridge and some left over dill from the Cucumber dish so this is the perfect choice off MY day!
As those of you who have read my previous posts know I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise, but in this case it gives a zing to the dill sauce that is appropriate. Plus with the yogurt it is more of an undertone than a statement.
Also, you could of course make your own Hollandaise, but its my birthday, and I am NOT going through all of that hassle this morning! Enjoy MY official tasty birthday brunch!!
Main Ingredients:
Smoked Salmon
1 package Hollandaise Sauce
3 English Muffins
6 Eggs
Sauce Ingredients:
3 tbsp plain Yogurt
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh, chopped Dill
2 tsp Lemon Juice
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare the dill sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together.
2. Prepare the Hollandaise sauce based on the direction on its package.
3. Add salt and a tbsp vinegar to about 6 cups water and bring to boil.
4. Poach eggs in the boiling water for 4 to 5 min.
5. Meanwhile cut English muffins in half and toast them.
6. Into each dish place two halves of English muffins and brush them with some dill sauce.
7. Place a piece of smoked salmon and each half and again brush with the dill sauce.
8. Place poached eggs on each half and pour Hollandaise sauce over top.
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Dill Dressing
Getting ready for the holidays, I have been looking at recipes for entertaining.. and I came across this one. I remember my mother making this all the time over the holidays. A sort of psuedo-Greek dish, and while it would be great for entertaining… I like to keep it all to myself as a quick, tasty snack that can be pulled out of the fridge at any time, day or night. YUMMY!!
Ingredients:
2 large or 3 medium cucumbers, sliced
1/3 cup of sliced red onion
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 to 2 Tbls. lemon juice
2 Tbls. chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
generous pinch of sugar pinch of salt
Be sure to remove most the seeds from the cucumber, or use English cucumber which don’t have seeds; there is too much water around the seeds and it waters down the dressing.
First combine and mix all the ingredients except the cucumbers and onion to make the dressing. Then mix dressing and vegetables and chill for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. As a garnish sprinkle a little more dill on top of before serving.
Notes: Some people don’t like the taste of the cucumber skin so you can peel it. I like it with the peel on. Other people peel off alternating strips to make the cucumber more visually appealing.
Pad Thai:
The key to pad thai, a GOOD pad thai is to make sure all the ingredients are prepared AHEAD OF TIME. It cooks FAST so have everything ready to go and within reach. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t cook the noodles too far ahead of time because they will dry out. Also, there is no SET recipe for this, add carrots or any other vegetable, take away the peanuts… whatever suits your mood. Whatever you do, ENJOY!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate.
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
2 teaspoons chili sauce
1 serving rice noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 serving shrimp
1 shallot (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts (chopped)
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 green onion (chopped)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
lime wedges
Directions:
1. Heat the tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and chili until the sugar is disolved.
2. Cook the noodles as directed.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Add the shrimp, shallots and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
5. Add the sauce and the noodles and mix and move to the side of the pan.
6. Add the egg, let it set a bit and then mix it into the noodles.
7. Add the peanuts and beansprouts and cook for a minute.
8. Add the green onions and cilantro and remove from heat.
I am not sure I have ever met anyone that was AGAINST an awesome BLT sandwich… and here is my favorite “take” on a BLT!
Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic minced
3 TBS olive oil
2 slices of bread (toasted)
4 slices of bacon (cooked, can also use turkey bacon)
2 leaves lettuce
2 slices tomato
1 large egg cooked over-medium
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices avocado
1 tablespoon guacamole (optional)
Directions:
1. Place garlic in Olive Oil ahead of time.
2. Toast bread lightly.
3. Brush toast with Garlic Olive Oil.
4. Cook egg over medium (until the yolk is nearly completely solid)
5. Cook bacon.
6. Spread guacamole on bottom piece of bread, then layer bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado slices and finally the egg.
7. Top with the other slice of garlicy bread.
The garlic & olive oil plus the guacamole makes it so you don’t need mayonnaise… and I am NOT a huge fan of mayonnaise, but a huge fan of guacamole.
YUM! This makes a GREAT brunch!!!
Chicken & Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo
So its been a little while since I had a chance to come talk about food… the holidays combined with a few marketing projects have rendered me temporarily unavailable… BUT I haven’t stopped my pursuit of ALL THINGS FOOD!
Just this morning I spent a while at Barnes & Noble perusing the many, MANY cookbooks finding recipes for SWEET pizza dough options… while giving the googgly eyes to ALL of the other recipes.
So tonight, my sister-in-law grabbed me and asked me to through together an alfredo for her and her son. Easy enough. But I had to make it a LITTLE easier:
Ingredients:
30 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pint heavy cream
10 oz butter
3 large florets of broccoli
1.5 lbs of fettuccine
6 Tyson Southern Style chicken patties
salt & pepper
oregano
EVOO
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
season-all
First, boil some water with E.V.O.O., oregano and some salt. Throw in the pasta, return to a boil and cook for like 8-10 minutes, to your personal preference of “done-ness” strain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, put 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of a skillet, break up the broccoli and place in the pan. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and just a TOUCH of crashed red pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the broccoli is crisp, bright but comfortably soft.
At the same time mix the Ricotta, Parmesan, butter and cream in a sauce pan (large) heat slowly over medium heat. Stir regularly. Add Season-All, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and just a TOUCH of red pepper flakes. I don’t have any amounts because I do it COMPLETELY based on taste/smell… I LOVE garlic, so my sauce always ends up with a TON of garlic powder.
(This is my SHORTCUT) heat up the Tyson patties as directed on the packet and slice.
NOW… mix drained pasta, drained broccoli and chicken slices. Top with your AWESOME personalized-made-from-scratch-alfredo sauce… and ENJOY!!!!
YUM YUM YUM… and now, back to these marketing plans. Until next time!
Quick Breakfast Taco
A smaller cousin of the breakfast burrito, the breakfast taco made with reduced-fat Cheddar and egg substitute is a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.
Makes ONE serving.
Ingredients
- 2 corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon salsa
- 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters
Preparation
- Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
- Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.
Baked Apple-Cinnamon French Toast
This baked apple-cinnamon French toast can be prepared in advance and then simply popped in the oven for a leisurely and luxurious weekend morning.
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups nonfat milk
- 2 cups pasteurized liquid egg whites, such as Egg Beaters
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1-pound loaf sliced whole-wheat bread
- 1 cup chopped dried apples, (3 ounces)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
- Whisk milk, egg whites, honey, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.
- Trim crusts off 8 bread slices and set aside. Cut the crusts and the remaining bread into 1-inch pieces. Toss with dried apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg in another large bowl.
- Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan. Lay the reserved crustless slices evenly on top, trimming to fit. Whisk the milk mixture one more time, then pour evenly over the bread. Press the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon, making sure it’s evenly moist. Cover with parchment paper, then foil, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake the casserole, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until puffed, set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes; dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Linguine with Red Bell Peppers and Kalamata Olives
from August 2010’s Bon Appetit
Ingredients
Preparation
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, olives, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until bell peppers are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, 1 cup basil, 1 cup cheese, and vinegar. Toss until sauce coats pasta, adding more reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil and serve, passing additional cheese.
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