Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

-1 c. brown rice or 1 (6 oz) box white and wild rice mix
-3 T. Balsamic Vinegar
-1 T. brown mustard
-2 T. honey
-1/4 t. salt
-1/4 t. pepper
-1/4 c. vegetable oil
-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
-2 apples, cored and chopped
-2 c. grapes, halved
-6 scallions, chopped
-3 large ribs celery, chopped
-1/2 c. pecans (candied if you have time)
1/2 c. Craisins
3/4 c. feta cheese
-3 c. chopped romaine lettuce (optional)

* note: when I made this I didn't include celery or scallions. I really like the Balsamic vinegar from Giant Eagle Market District called "Traditional Balsamic". I think it is the best tasting Balsamic you can find in Ohio and adds a great flavor. If you aren't going to serve immediately, I would leave out the apples because they brown quickly.

[If you do not have chicken already cooked, heat 1 T. oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cut chicken into tenderloin strips, season with salt and pepper, and saute 4-6 minutes til cooked through and lightly browned. Cube chicken.]

1. Prepare rice according to directions on package.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, grapes, scallions, celery, pecans, craisins, feta and lettuce. Add chicken and toss.
3. In a small bowl, mix vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk in 1/4 c. vegetable oil. Pour over rice mixture and toss.
4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold. Serves 4. (So I would double above quantities for meal group)

I recommend serving with fresh baked wheat bread.

Spinach Pie

1/2 c sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T butter/margarine
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c baking mix
1 c milk
3/4 c egg product or 5 egg whites
1 t lemon juice
1/4 t pepper
3 T grated parmesan cheese topping
1/4 t nutmeg

Heat oven to 350F. Grease 9 inch pie plate.  Cook and stir onions and garlic in skillet 2-3 minutes.  Stir in spinach.  Layer spinach mixture and cottage cheese in pie plate.
Stir baking mix, milk, eggs, lemon juice and pepper until blended. Pour into pie plate, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and mutmeg.
Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan if desired.

Johan

So, I used 5 egg whites and in the future I will use either egg product or 3 full eggs (rather have the pie look more yellow than white), and I thought it needed some salt.  Also, I would mix the parmesan and nutmeg first before sprinkling.

Baked Potato Soup (serves 6)

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 c butter/margarine
2/3 c flour
6 c milk
3/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 oz chopped bacon
4 chopped green onions
1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz sour cream
Bake/microwave potatoes until done. Let it cool.  Scoop out pulp, discard skins.
Melt butter on low heat, add flour and stir until smooth.  Cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk. Cook until thick and bubbly over medium heat.  Add potatoes, salt, pepper, onions, bacon, cheese.  Cook all until heated.  Stir in sour cream.  Add extra milk if too thick.

Johan

Teresa's (well, Pampered Chef's) Thai Shrimp Bisque

Thai Shrimp Bisque

3 cups hot cooked rice
1 pound uncooked shell-on medium shrimp
2 large plum tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 1/2 inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1 can (14-14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (14 ounces) lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons snipped cilantro

1. Prepare rice according to package directions, keep warm. Peel and devein shrimp; remove tails and set aside. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise; remove seeds using Cook's Corer. Dice tomatoes and slice green onions using Chef's Knife; set tomatoes aside. Peel gingerroot; finely cop using Food Chopper.

2. Heat oil in Profesional (4-qt.) Casserole over medium heat. Add onions, gingerroot and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch, sugar, fish sauce, tomato paste and curry paste. Gradually add broth and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and shrimp. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink and is cooked through. Remove from heat.

3. Ladel soup into bowls using Nylon Ladle; top with hot cooked rice and snipped cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings (6 cups)


So, I have never made it with the fish sauce. I put in a little more red curry paste than it calls for. I don't worry about de-seeding the tomatoes, and I usually used a tube of like, pre-minced gingerroot instead of peeling and mincing the ginger, but I don't know how much equals a "1 1/2 inch peice" I just do it to taste. I double the recipe for dinner group. Oh, and I do small shrimp that already has the tail off.

Pasta al Forno

Pasta al Forno (I just winged this. Quantities listed should feed 8-12 adults at least)

Ingredients

-2 boxes rigatoni
-beschamel sauce (recipe below)
-2 jars red sauce (store bought)
-1 package sausage
- 2-4 cups of mozarella cheese
- parmesan to taste

Beschamel sauce: (I usually double this because I like a lot of white sauce but the quantities listed below will probably still give you enough if you want it less creamy)

-3 cups whole milk (I just use whatever milk I have...usually 1% or 2%)
-6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
-6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
sea salt

Directions:

Cook sausage. Cook pasta al dente (I usually cook 8-9 minutes). Prepare beschamel sauce. You will want to have about 10 minutes of uninterrupted time to make the beschamel sauce so it doesn't burn. When you're done, layer all the ingredients any way you want. I usually start off with some red sauce on the bottom and a layer of rigatoni. I usually don't put cheese on every layer but how you do it is up to you. Top it off with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan to taste. Cook at 350 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. I usually cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes and then cook it 5 minutes without the foil.

Directions for beschamel sauce: In a sauce pan of medium heat, heat the milk until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a heavy, nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a thick, smooth paste forms, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slowly drizzle 1-2 Tablespoons of the hot milk into the flour paste while whisking constantly. The mixture will immediately become thick and lumpy. Continuing to whisk vigorously, add the milk about 2 tablespoons at a time. The Sauce will gradually become smooth. After adding about 1/2 cup of the milk, slowly add the remaining milk in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, return the pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 1 minute. Makes about 2 cups.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

1.5 cups precooked chopped chicken
1 pkg (10-14 oz) frozen chopped broccoli or broccoli florets, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup baking mix
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400F
Put chicken, broccoli and cheese in greased 2 quart dish.  Blend well the baking mix, milk eggs, salt and pepper.  Pour into dish over chicken combination.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

I think tonight it needed a little bit more flavor so maybe another 1/4 tsp of salt could work as well.

Chicken Fried Rice

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 bunch green onion, chopped

1/2 cup peas and diced carrots

2 cups cooked white rice, cold

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken meat

In a small bowl, beat egg with water. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add egg and leave flat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut into shreds.

Heat oil in same skillet; add onion and saute until soft. Then add rice, soy sauce, pepper and chicken. Stir fry together for about 5 minutes, then stir in egg. Serve hot

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie

We had baked a whole chicken the night before, so used the half of the chicken we didn't eat, and then made stock from the carcass.  If you want to do that, here is a nice instructional video.  There are lots of shortcuts that could make this recipe easier, such as using a store bought cornbread mix, chicken gravy instead of the sauce, and canned vegetables.  

Ingredients

½ chicken (about 2 lbs.)

½ butternut squash

1 Yukon Gold potato

6 baby red potatoes

12 oz. frozen corn

4 carrots

5 celery spears

1 medium onion

6 tbsp. Butter

6 tbsp. Flour

6 cups Chicken stock

Cornbread (double recipe below)

Instructions

1.       Cut chicken into small pieces, about ½ inch cubes.

2.       Cut butternut squash in half.  Remove seeds and inner membranes and bake at 400° for 30 minutes.  After it cools cut into ¼ inch cubes and set aside in a baking dish.  Add corn.

3.       Cut potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions into similar size chunks, about ¼ inch, and mix together in baking dish with squash and corn.  Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes, until potatoes and squash are soft but not mushy.

4.       Make a roux by melting butter in a sauce pan, and adding flour one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly.  Add chicken stock one cup at a time and stir until even.  Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt to taste.

5.       Mix cornbread batter, and grease a large baking dish (corningware works well).  Pour about half an inch of batter into the bottom of the dish, and bake for 10 minutes or until it is solid enough to hold the filling.

6.       Mix chicken, vegetables, and sauce together, and pour onto baked cornbread bottom.  Leave some room along the sides of the dish, and then pour cornbread batter on top of filling so that everything is covered.

7.       Bake for about 20 minutes or until cornbread is golden.

Cornbread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease an 8 inch square pan with lots of grease in the corners.
2. Melt butter and stir in sugar. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into butter and sugar mixture. Stir cornmeal, flour, and salt together in a separate bowl, and then mix into wet ingredients. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

White Chicken Chili

We made one and a half times this recipe for tonight's dinner.  This is based on Kelsey's mom's recipe that we have altered slightly and actually added measurements to.  If you don't want it as spicy, use a mild salsa, and don't add the green chiles.

Ingredients

1 medium white onion

5 cloves garlic

3 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs.)

Chicken rub (instructions below in #2)

4 tbsp. butter

6 tbsp. flour

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup milk

2- 15 oz. cans butter beans

2- 15 oz. cans navy beans

16 oz. salsa verde

4.5 oz. chopped green chiles

1 white chili flavoring packet (McCormick)

Monterrey Jack cheese

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Instructions

1. Sautee onion in enough butter and oil to coat bottom of pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add crushed garlic cloves, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.  Transfer onions and garlic to soup pot, leaving behind as much oil/butter as possible.

2. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch cubes, and cover with chicken rub consisting of 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. of each of the following, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, and chili powder.  Cook chicken in remaining oil/butter.  Add to onions and garlic in soup pot.

3. Make a roux by melting 4 tbsp. butter and slowly adding 6 tbsp. of flour.  Once it is even, slowly add in cream and milk until it reaches an even consistency.  Transfer into soup pot and turn stove to medium heat.

4. Add in beans, salsa, chiles, and flavoring packet.  Mix together, and simmer for a few hours, or until you can’t resist.

5. Serve with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro and sour cream.

Harvest Fruit Bake

Ingredients

½ butternut squash

4 apples

6 oz. fresh cranberries

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/8 tsp. cardamom

3 tbsp. raspberry preserves

2 tbsp. butter


Instructions:

1. Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds and inner membranes, then bake at 400° for 30 minutes.
2. Peel apples and cut into slices.  Lightly grease a 9 inch baking dish and lay apple slices across bottom. 
3. Remove squash from oven and after it is cool enough to handle, peel away outside.  Cut into ½ inch cubes, and lay on top of apples.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Pour cranberries on top of apples and squash.
6. Melt preserves in microwave and then pour over the top.
7. Sprinkle brown sugar, salt, and spices evenly across the top.
8. Cut butter into thin slices and lay across the top.
9. Bake for 30 minutes at 350° or until cranberries are soft.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (serves 4)

1lb boneless chicken breast cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup water
2 carrots cut in thin lices
1 bell pepper and 1 onion cut in 1 inch squares
1 cup sweet and sour sauce
1 cup pineapple chunks

Coat chicken with mixture of cornstarch and soy sauce.  Brown slowly in hot oil.  Add water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring twice.  Stir carrots, bell pepper and onion with the sweet and sour sauce.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently.  Stir pineapples.  Serve over rice.
This recipe can be made with pork as well.

Johan

Light Fettucine Alfredo (serves 4)

300 grams fettuccine, uncooked

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

4 teaspoons flour

1/3 cup light cream cheese spread

3 tablespoons light parmesan cheese, grated, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine broth and flour in medium saucepan. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens.

Cook and drain pasta. Toss with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Johan

Pork Chops with Rice

Yummy Pork Chops (has sort of a sweet and sour flavor)

-6 pork chops
-1c. chopped onion
-1/2 c. ketchup
-1/4 c. brown sugar
-3 T vinegar (I use Balsamic)
-1 T soy sauce
-1/2 t. salt
-1/4 t pepper

Brown pork chops in a fry pan. Transfer to baking dish and cover with onions. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. When it's done cooking I usually cut up each pork chop into bite size pieces and return it to the pan. Serve with cous cous or rice. This recipe is GREAT for feeding a large group of people and is especially easy if you want to do most of the work ahead of time and just put it in the oven an hour before dinner time. As written would probably only feed about 6 people so I always double for dinner group. I like to make a little extra sauce too  (2.5 times the quantities listed above) because I like it extra saucy.

Lauren.