Meals in a Flash

Dumplings - pan fry with:
1 bag of frozen broccoli
1 bag of shelled edamame.  Season with splash of soy.
Fruit broiled with brown sugar on the side.

Tortellini Stoup
Tortellini
1 jar tomato sauce
frozen spinach
beans
water
side of garlic bread

Sweet Chili the kids love

3 cloves garlic
2 T oil
1# ground turkey or chicken
1 red/green pepper chopped
2 x 15 oz cans of beans (e.g. pinto and kidney)
1/2 onion chopped 
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/3 c brown sugar
1.5 T Wildtree Taco Seasoning Blend (or... 1 t chili pepper + 1 t oregano + 1 t cumin + 1 t salt + 1/2 t pepper)
1 t Better N Buillon Chicken
2 c water

sizzle garlic in oil in dutch oven.  cook ground meat.  add chopped onions and peppers.  saute until meat is done.  add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, taco seasoning, BNB, 2 c water.  bring to boil, reduce to simmer 30+ mins.

Japanese Eggplant or Zucchini

seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup katsuobushi, dried, shaved bonito flakes (a type of tuna), optional

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whole-Grilled-Japanese-Eggplant-with-Lemon-and-Soy-Sauce-365629#ixzz2E8ysYLwr

Fast Asian Noodles

Thai Rice Noodles (12 oz)
1/4c rice or white vinegar
2 T hot sauce (we omit, replace with some chinese seasoning)
2 T sugar
2 T grapeseed oil
12 med shrimp
3 stalks scallions
2 eggs, scrambled
1/2 c tofu cubed and soaked in soy (or just some soy sauce)
2 c mung bean sprouts
1/4 c peanuts (we omit, replace with sesame oil)

Boil noodles to half done (4 mins), rinse in cold water immediately and toss with oil
Make sauce from vinegar, hot sauce/chinese seasoning, sugar, oil - nuke until sugar dissolves
Heat oil in wok and quickly cook scrambled eggs.  Add scallions, then shrimp til cooked, then tofu (or just soy sauce).
Add noodles to hot pan and pour sauce over.  Stir fry 4-5 mins.
Heat off.  Add hot sesame oil, sprouts, lemon slices.

Turkey, Hominy, Squash Chili

2 T evoo
1# cooked turkey sausages cut into 1" pieces
1 large onion diced
1.5t dried oregano
4 large garlic cloves, minced
15 oz can hominy, undrained
1 c green chili enchilada sauce
1/2 c + 2T chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 c cubed (3/4") peeled butternut squash

Heat oil in large heavy pot over med.  Add sausage, saute 4 mins.  Add onion, oregano, garlic.  Stir 2 mins.  Add hominy, enchilada sauce, 1/2 c cilantro, squash.  Bring to simmer.  Cover, reduce heat to med-low.  Simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally, 12-15 mins.  Uncover simmer to thicken.  Transfrer to bowl.  Sprinkle with remaining 2T cilantro and serve.

Asian Noodles - Quick sauces

Chilled Teriyaki Soba Noodles
--Cook Soba Noodles as directed. Chill noodles under cold water and drain well. Toss noodles with Annie Chun's Teriyaki Marinade and Stir-Fry, to taste, and a dash of sesame oil. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro sprig. Perfect for a warm-weather picnic.

Shanghai Scallion Noodles
--Cook and drain Chow Mein Noodles as directed on package. Brown sliced green onions in a few tablespoons of oil. Toss noodles in pan with green onions; add a splash of vinegar and soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Easy and comforting.

Quick Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup
--Cook Pad Thai Rice Noodles for 4 minutes; drain and set aside. In large pot, heat chicken or vegetable broth with a dash of Annie Chun's Shiitake Mushroom Sauce, some shredded cooked chicken, a handful of bean sprouts and some sliced green onions and grated ginger. Add rice noodles and cook one more minute.

Sesame Cilantro Noodle Salad
--Cook, Rice Noodles as directed on package; rinse under cold water till cool and drain. Toss noodles with Annie Chun's Sesame Cilantro Noodle & Salad Dressing, to taste. For added texture and flavor, toss in a few bay shrimp, or some sliced cucumber, carrot or red bell pepper.

Stir Fry Chicken & Bok Choy

 * 2 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
   * 1 cup chopped scallions
   * 2 TBS fresh minced ginger
   * 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
   * 1½ cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
   * 4 cups chopped bok choy
   * 2 TBS soy sauce
   * 1 TBS rice vinegar
   * salt and white pepper to taste
   * pinch of red pepper flakes


Directions:

  1. Heat broth in a stainless steel skillet.
  2. When broth begins to steam, add scallions and Healthy Saute for 2 minutes.
  3. Add ginger and continue to sauté for another minute.
  4. Add chicken and continue to sauté.
  5. After 2-3 minutes, add shiitake mushrooms and bok choy. Continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes, and then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serves 4

Chicken Lemon Capers + Pasta + Veg

use garden basil for pesto

Rotisserie Chicken Curry

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
1 cup water
1 cup couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon curry powder
Meat from a 2-pound rotisserie roasted chicken
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 scallions, thinly sliced
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat. Add the couscous, stir once, then cover and let sit until the rest of the recipe is complete.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and raisins and saute until the onions are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry powder and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the chicken and coconut milk and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl and fluff with a fork. Add the scallions and toss to combine. Spoon the chicken curry over the center of the couscous.
Nutrition information per serving: 442 calories; 16 g fat (9 g saturated); 53 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 5 g fiber; 67 mg sodium.

Steamers with Bay Leaves

Serves 4-6
Prep under 30 mins

5# soft whell clams, scrubbed
1 c dry white wine
4-5 bay leaves
lemon wedges
melted butter

Put clams, wine, bay leaves in large pot with tight fitting lid. Bring liquid to boil over high and cook til clams open. about 10 mins. Scoop clams into large bowl, discarding any closed ones, and reserve broth. Pour broth into mugs, taking care not to get the sediment. Seve lcams iwth lemon wedgs, mugs, and melted butter. Big bowl for shells.

Serve with Beef stew, sauteed apples/pears, cabbage salad.

Mussels with Herbs

Serves 6
Under 30 mins

2 T evoo
1 med onion, fine chopped
1 t dried marjoram or oregano
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, fine chopped
1/2 c white wine
3 doz mussels, scrubbed and debearded
French Bread

Heat oil in saucepan large enough to hold all mussels, over med, then add onion and saute 5 mins til soft. Stir in herbs and garlic and add wine and mussels. Cover and increase heat to high. Steam til mussels open, about 5 mins. With slotte spoon, trf to large serving bowl, discarding any unopened ones. Pour cooking juices over mussels, taking care not to disturb sandy sediment in the bottom. Seve immediately with hot french bread to soak up the juices. Serve a dry white like Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc.

Fresh Lime Pie

Makes 8-9" pie

Graham Cracker Crust:
2c crumbs (about 11 crackers) or other crisp cookie crumbs
2T sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c fresh lime juice (about 6 small limes)
Grated rind of 1 lime (1t)
2 eggs, separated
1/2 t vanilla
1 T sugar

325 oven. Crush crackers in zip lock bag. Put in bowl with sugar ane melted butter. Pres into pie pan and chill 15 mins. Bake til firm and crisp (about 10 mins). To make filling, whisk milk, lime juice, rind in a bowl til blended. Add egg yolks and vailla and beat until smooth and thick. In separate bowl, beat whites til they hold soft peaks. Sprinke sugar on whties and continue beating til stiff. Fold into lime mixture and turn into pie shell. Bake until filling is set about 15 mins. Cool.

Chocolate Sponge Cake Cut Outs

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Butter or cooking spray
6 eggs, separated
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (baking cocoa)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling of your choice (see options list)

Lightly grease or spray 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Line bottom with waxed paper. Grease again. Set aside.

Beating Eggs: In large mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks. To test, rub just a bit of the egg white-sugar mixture between thumb and forefinger to feel if sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

In small mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla until blended. In small bowl, stir together cocoa, flour and salt. Sprinkle over reserved beaten whites. Add beaten yolk mixture. Gently, but thoroughly, fold yolk and cocoa mixtures into whites. Pour into prepared pan. Gently spread evenly.

Bake in preheated 400° F oven until top of cake springs back when lightly touched with finger, about 10 to 12 minutes. With spatula, loosen cake from sides of pan. Turn out cake by inverting pan over wire rack. Carefully pull waxed paper off bottom of cake. Cool completely.

Using cookie cutters, cut shapes from cooled cake, making sure there are at least 2 of each shape. Spread or top one side of a cake shape with filling ingredients. Cover it with another cake piece of the same shape to make a sandwich. Repeat until all shapes are used.

Tips for beating egg whites:
• When you’re going to beat egg whites, take the eggs out of the refrigerator and carefully separate the yolks and whites (see the next tip). Then, let the whites sit at room temperature about 20 minutes. Warming the whites just enough to take the chill off helps the whites beat up to the best volume.

• Both fat and salt make it hard for egg whites to beat up well. Use an egg separator or a funnel to carefully separate egg whites and yolks so that no fat from the yolk gets into the whites. Use a clean glass or metal bowl for beating because plastic bowls can absorb fat and hold it in their pores. Add salt to the recipe’s dry ingredients or to the yolks, not to the whites.

• Be sure to use the amount of cream of tartar, vinegar or lemon juice called for in the ingredient list. These are all acids. Acids help egg whites to hold air.

• Sugar helps prevent overbeating in egg whites and helps make the foam stable. It’s important to add the sugar slowly, about 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.

• Test egg whites to see if they’re beaten just right to make a dish puff. Turn off the mixer and tilt the bowl a little. If the egg whites slip and slide, beat a little more and test again. Stop beating when the beaten whites stop slipping and sliding. Don’t let beaten egg whites sit too long. If you do, the air will escape and some of the whites will turn liquid again.

• Try not to overbeat egg whites. Beating too much causes the whites to lose air so a recipe won’t puff as it should. Overbeaten whites also form dry, brittle clumps that don’t mix well with other ingredients.

• When baking, preheat the oven. Use the right size baking dish or pan for the recipe. It’s easier for air-filled whites to climb up a rough surface than a slick one. So, don’t grease the dish unless you also dust (sprinkle) it with a dry ingredient, like sugar, nuts, corn meal or bread crumbs. Place the baking dish on a rack in the lower third of the oven. All these things help the air bubbles to expand and make the recipe rise in volume.

Tips for beating egg yolks:
• It’s hard to overbeat egg yolks. It takes about 3 to 5 minutes of beating with an electric mixer on high speed to beat yolks enough for most recipes. Stop beating when the yolks are thick and they turn a pale lemon-yellow color. Turn off the mixer and lift the beaters a little. If the yolks flow back into the bowl in ribbons, they’re done.
For fillings, choose foods the family likes. Possibilities include:
• ricotta and/or mascarpone cheese and chopped fresh fruit, chopped Maraschino cherries or dried fruit bits
• softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese and fruit preserves, jam or jelly
• fruit butter, such as apple butter
• fruit-flavored yogurt
• peanut butter and sliced bananas
• softened ice cream and chopped nuts
• softened sherbet or frozen yogurt
• marshmallow fluff with mini chocolate morsels

Cherry Tomato Corn Salad*****

Ingredients:

1/4 cup minced fresh basil 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cups frozen corn, thawed 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber

Directions:

1.	In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the basil, oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper; shake well. In a large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

Baked Greek Chicken with Potato-y Sauce

This is a common meal in Greece and smells delicious while it is cooking.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice of two lemons
4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced french-fry style
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup water
One head garlic, the cloves peeled but whole
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in a shallow baking tray. Arrange potatoes around chicken pieces. Scatter whole peeled cloves of garlic around chicken and potatoes.

Mix together lemon juice and olive oil, and pour evenly over chicken and potatoes. Add water until potatoes are just about covered. Add salt, pepper to taste. Cover chicken and potatoes with generous amounts of oregano. Bake at 350 degrees F, until tops of chicken
are reddish brown.

Turn chicken, stir potatoes, and sprinkle on more oregano. If potatoes aren’t at least half-covered with liquid, add water. Return to oven for about 15-20 minutes. Chicken is done when both sides a lightly browned and potatoes are soft when touched with a fork.

Serve with a crusty bread or with pita bread.

Serves 4.

ULTRA FAST VERSION USING LEFTOVER ROTISSERIE CHICKEN - A LOW FAT ATHENIAN ROOM MEAL!

heat olive oil + garlic + leftover chicken meat... add water or broth + oregano... meanwhile bake frozen french fries at 450 for 15 mins... then use fries as base and pour chicken and broth over it all.

Crunchy Chicken Strips

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
2-1/2 cups crushed bite-size cheddar fish-shaped crackers or pretzels
2/3 cup bottled buttermilk ranch salad dressing
1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
Bottled buttermilk ranch salad dressing

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 1510x1-inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat foil with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a shallow dish place the crushed crackers. In another shallow dish
place the ranch dressing. Dip chicken tenderloins into the dressing,
allowing excess to drip off; dip into cracker crumbs to coat. Arrange
chicken in prepared pan.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170
degrees F). If desired, serve with additional ranch dressing. Makes 4
servings

Best Hummus Ever

Toast 1 teaspoon cumin seeds in a little skillet until fragrant and dark, about a minute. Pour them into a mortar and pound with a pestle. Add 2 garlic cloves to the cumin and pound them until they become paste. Scrape everything into a food processor and add 1/4 cup tahini, a pinch of cayenne, kosher salt, pepper, the juice of 1 1/2 lemons, and 2 (15-ounce) cans chick peas, drained. (Davis also gives instructions for making this with freshly cooked and hand-peeled dried chick peas, but we haven't gone there yet). Pulse the machine a few times, then add 1/3 cup oil in a steady stream. (This is more than Davis uses, he calls for 5 tablespoons). If it seems too thick, you can thin it out with water, but Daniel uses even more oil.
To serve, spread it on a plate and drizzle on more oil, then sprinkle with a touch more cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Enjoy. And let me know if you think the hummus lives up to the title.

Fast Bruschetta

From Martha Stewart:

Canellini Beans with Herbs
Heat 1 garlic clove + 4 minced anchvy fillets in 2 T oilive oil until fragrant, 1 min. Stir in 19 0z can beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 t each fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Cook til beans warm. Spoon onto 8 slices bruschetta. Drizzle with EVOO.

Roasted Peppers and Herbed Ricotta
Stir 1 c ricotta + 1/2 t coarse salt + 2 T EVOO + chopped fresh oregano. Season with ground pepper. Spread on 8 slices bruschetta. Cut 1 roasted red pepper into 8 strips. Place 1 strip on each slice. Drizzle with EVOO.

Foul Mudammas Breakfast Spread

"A deliciously seasoned fava bean, onion, and tomato dip recipe! Traditionally served with pita bread for breakfast in Egypt."

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can fava/lima/butter beans 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomato, diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste ground red pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.

Pour the beans into a pot and bring to a boil. Mix them well and add onion, tomato, olive oil, cumin, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture cook 5 minutes. Serve warm with grilled pita. *Usually, we sautee the onion and tomato in some olive oil first... then add the garlic... then add in the rinsed, canned beans. Mash them with a fork. And let cook. Add salt & pepper, cumin, and 1 T or so of tahini. A little lemon and parsley to finish. Divine. Really good served with eggs too... hard boiled are more traditional, but we also do sunny-side up and poached. The yolky-bean mixture is yummy.

Chicken & Dumplings in the Crockpot, MENU

The Menu

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS IN THE CROCKPOT
A wedge of iceburg lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing
UPSIDE DOWN CHOCOLATE UGLY CAKE

The Recipes

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS IN THE CROCKPOT

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut to small chunks
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups water
2 (10 oz) packages refrigerated biscuits
1 chicken bouillon cube

Combine all ingredients, except biscuits, in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, tear biscuit dough into 1-inch pieces. Add to your slow cooker; stirring gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until biscuits are fluffed up and cooked through.

A wedge of iceburg lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup pickle relish
1 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

Mix all together and store in fridge. Keeps well.

UPSIDE DOWN CHOCOLATE UGLY CAKE
~Submitted by Judy, MI

2 cups mini-marshmallows
1 cup brown sugar
1 chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to the box. Mix marshmallows, brown sugar, cocoa, and water in a bowl. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Spoon cake mix on top of marshmallow mixture, but don't mix them. Bake for 45 minutes. Then, after the cake cools, flip over onto a cookie sheet. Be careful--the marshmallow mixture might run. No need to frost.