Monthly Archives: April 2011

SLOW-COOKED ORIENTAL CHICKEN

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1 broiler-fryer chicken (3 1/2-4 lbs), cut up
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup slivered almonds

in a large skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in oil on both sides. transfer to a slow cooker. combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, and ginger; pour over chicken. cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. reduce heat to LOW; cook 4-5 hours longer or until the meat juices run clear. remove chicken to a serving platter; sprinkle with almonds. spoon juices over chicken or thicken, if desired.

4-6 servings

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

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CRUST:

1 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (20 cookies)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter OR margarine, melted

FILLING:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter OR margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

grated chocolate OR chocolate cookie crumbs, optional

combine crust ingredients. press into a 9″ pie plate. bake at 375° for 10 minutes. cool. in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth. fold in whipped cream. gently spoon into crust. garnish with grated chocolate or cookie crumbs, if desired. refrigerate.

8-10 servings

WALNUT-DATE CHEWS

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1 cup melted butter (2 sticks, 1/2 lb)
3 cups brown sugar (packed)
4 eggs, beaten (in a glass)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups finely chopped walnuts (measure AFTER chopping)
1 cup chopped dates (you can buy them already chopped)
4 cups flour (pack, do not sift)

melt the butter on HIGH in a microwave-safe container for 90 seconds, or in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. transfer the melted butter to a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar. mix it well and let it cool to slightly above room temperature, just enough so that it won’t cook the eggs when you add them. mix in the beaten eggs. stir until they are thoroughly incorporated. add the salt, baking soda, and vanilla. mix it all up together. mix in the walnuts and let the dough rest while you chop the dates. you can chop the dates by hand with a knife, but it’s a lot easier in a food processor or blender. just pit them first, cut each one into two or three pieces with a knife, put them into the bowl of your food processor or blender, and sprinkle with a little flour (approx 1/4 cup). the flour will keep them from gumming up. when you process them, measure one cup of chopped dates and add them to your mixing bowl. stir them in thoroughly. add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition. the dough will be fairly stiff. form the dough into balls with your fingers. (make them the size of a walnut shell.) place them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. (they will flatten and spread when they bake.) bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or.until lightly browned. let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

BEAN AND MACARONI SOUP

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2 (16 oz) cans great northern beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups cut-up peeled fresh tomatoes OR 1 1/2 pounds canned whole tomatoes, cut up
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni

drain beans and reserve liquid. rinse beans.

heat oil in a 6-quart kettle. add mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic; saute for 5 minutes.

add tomatoes, sage, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf.

cover and cook over medium heat 20 minutes. cook macaroni according to directions on package using unsalted water. drain when cooked. do not overcook.

combine reserved bean liquid with water to make 4 cups.

add liquid, beans, and cooked macaroni to vegetable mixture.

bring to a boil; cover and simmer until soup is thoroughly heated. stir occasionally.

16 (1 cup) servings

TACO SOUP “LITE”

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1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 recipe taco seasoning (recipe below)
1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (14 oz) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 cup water
1 cup frozen corn
4 ounces green chilies, chopped
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, smashed

brown ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. drain mixture and blot away excess grease. add spices and cook for 1 minute. add tomato sauce and cook an additional minute while stirring. add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and water. simmer for 10 minutes. add corn, green chilies, and smashed garbanzo beans. simmer an additional 5 minutes.

garnish with chopped cilantro, chips, cheese, or sour cream.

6 servings

TACO SEASONING:

3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

MACARONI AND CHEESE CARBONARA

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unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1″ thick) slice pancetta, cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
5 cups whole milk, or more if needed, hot
4 large egg yolks, lately whisked
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups (8 oz) grated asiago cheese, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) grated irish white cheddar, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) grated american cheddar, plus more for the top
1 cup (4 oz) grated aged fontina cheese, plus more for the top
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for the top
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

preheat the oven to 375°. butter the bottom and sides of a 10″x10″x2″ baking dish and set it aside.

heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

add the garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until light golden brown, 1 minute. whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1-2 minutes. remove from the heat and whisk in the thyme, cayenne, and all the different cheeses until completely melted. season with salt and pepper. if the mixture appears too thick, add additional warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time.

put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta, and the parsley, and stir until combined. transfer to the prepared baking dish.

combine an additional 1/4 cup each of asiago, cheddars, fontina, and parmesan in a bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the top. bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

4 servings

CHUNKY POTATO-CRAB CHOWDER

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2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups (1″) cubed red potato (about 1lb)
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt

melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. add onion, celery and garlic; saute 4 minutes. add potato; saute 1 minute. sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. stir in milk, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, corn, and broth. bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. stir in crab, parsley, and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6 (1 1/2 cup) servings

NORTH WOODS BEAN SOUP

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1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2″ pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8 oz) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6 oz) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

heat a large saucepan coated with pam over medium-high heat. add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. add the broth, italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. return the pureed mixture to the pan. simmer an additional 5 minutes. remove soup from heat. add the spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts.

5 (1 1/2 cup) servings

SAVORY GRILLED CHICKEN

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3-4 pounds chicken pieces
1 (16 oz) bottle italian salad dressing
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons paprika

placd chicken in a large glass baking dish. in a bowl, stir together remaining ingredients until well blended. reserve 1/2 cup marinade for basting chicken during grilling. pour remaining marinade over chicken. cover dish with aluminum foil. refrigerate 1 hour, turning chicken once. to grill chicken, line inside of grill with aluminum foil. puncture foil at grill vent openings. remove chicken from marinade. discard marinade. turning and basting occasionally with reserved marinade, grill chicken over medium-hot coals until tender, 40-50 minutes.

6-8 servings

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

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1 pound beef cubes
1 tablespoon oil
8 cups homemade beef broth*
1/2 cup barley
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt, if desired
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped onion

in dutch oven, brown beef in oil; drain. add broth. bring to a boil. add barley, basil, and if desired, salt. cover; simmer 1 hour. add veggies; cover and continue cooking 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender.