Recipes

Cashew Chicken (serves 4)


1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T cornstarch or flour
Oil for frying
1 cup or so of chopped yellow onion Up to you how much you like
1 cup+ shiitake mushrooms (chopped) Up to you how much you like
1 cup+ chopped celery Up to you how much you like
2 cup cashews
1/4 cup soy sauce and chinese noodles as desired


Cut chicken into quarter size pieces.  Place chicken in a bowl.  Add 2 T soy sauce and 1 T cornstarch or flour.  Mix well and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Then I cut up my veggies if I haven't prior.
Heat up your water for your rice--we like brown rice that you can boil in a few minutes.
Heat your oil in a frying pan  to medium-high heat (I prefer cast iron skillet).  Once it's ready (the oil will look like waves in the pan), add the chicken and stir-fry until it browns a little on the outside and is white on the inside.  Shouldn't take too long.  You can do it in batches.  Place cooked chicken on a plate lined with paper towels.
Once chicken is cooked, add the onion, mushroom and celery to the pan until the veggies are soft.
Add the chicken back in and add the cashews.  Add 1 additional t. cornstarch/flour and 1/4 c soy sauce.  Stir.  Cover and steam for 1 minute.
Serve over your cooked rice and chinese noodles (if you so choose)...it's fabulous and rather easy!






Chili Cheese Etouffee with Chicken (courtesy of Yats Restaurant)

1 stick butter

½ c. flour

1 c. chopped green onions

1 c. diced celery

1 c. diced bell peppers (red and green)

1 c. diced onions

2 t. minced garlic

1 small can Rotel Original diced tomatoes w/green chilis

½ t. dried thyme

1 T. tomato paste

1 t. dried basil

¼ t. black pepper

¼ t. white pepper

¼ t. cayenne pepper

3 c. chicken stock

3 c. shredded  cheddar

8 oz. half and half or heavy cream

1 t. chili powder

pinch ground coriander

pinch ground cumin

pinch ground cloves

dash Worcestershire sauce

dash hot sauce sauce
1 1/2 lb poached  chicken

cooked brown rice

Directions

Make a roux by heating the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat then blending in the flour, sonsistently stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the roux is golden color

Add the green onions, celery, bell peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes and cook until the onions have browned

Add the thyme, tomato paste, basil and peppers (black, white, and cayenne)

Add the stock, bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture becomes thick

Add the cheese, half and half, chili powder, coriander, cumin, cloves, Lea and Perrins and Tabasco and stir until the cheese and half and half are blended in well

Gently stir in the chicken and serve with  rice. 

Crock Pot Potato Soup


4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1- 1 1/2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 14-oz. cans ready-to-serve chicken broth
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 13-oz can evaporated milk
3 T flour
1 c. sour cream


I recommend doing this first step the night before you want your soup--then refrigerate.  I placed the potatoes, onions, garlic, cloves and broth in the crock pot and then put it in the fridge overnight.


In the AM, place the crockpot on low and let it cook all day.  When you get home, coarsely mash with a potato masher.  In a medium bowl, combine the evaporated milk and 2 T flour, mixing well.  Add to the crockpot, stir well and cook on high for 30 minutes to thicken.


Scoop sour cream into a bowl and add last 1 T flour.  Mix well.  Add a ladle of the soup liquid, stir with a whisk to blend.  Gently stir into the crockpot and cook on high for an additional 20-30 minutes.  








Holy Guacamole!


1 - 2 ripe avocados
1 - 2 tomatoes (seeded and diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
dash of lime juice (to taste)
salt and pepper


Peel and pit your avocados and smash with either a potato smasher or fork to a consistency you like (we prefer some chucks).  Add your tomatoes and red onion.  Mix well.  Add lime juice to your liking (we like it lime-y, about a tablespoon or so).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you are not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the guacamole completely--like when you make pudding.






Simple Scones


2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 t  baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
8 T unsalted butter (cold)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 large egg
2 t vanilla extract


Mix flour, 1/3 c sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Take cold butter and cut it into flour mixture (a bit at a time--I use my hands at this point)  You want to work it into what resembles coarse meal).  


In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and egg until smooth.  


Using a whisk or fork, stir the sour cream mixture into the flour until large lumps form and the dough comes together in a ball.  Add the vanilla extract.


On a lightly floured surface, press dough and pat into a disc.  With a sharp knife, cut the disc in half and then into 1/8s.  Sprinkle with a dash of sugar and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes.  Cool and serve.


If you want to get "fancy" whip up some royal icing to sprinkle across the scones.


Mini Jamaican Patties  


1 lb ground beef
3/4 c. bread crumbs
14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 small bunch of green onions (chopped)
1/8 c. soy sauce
1/2 T salt
1/2 T pepper
1/2 t hot sauce--we like Frank's hot sauce (but Kroger brand works as well)
2 complete pie crusts (enough for 2 pies top and bottom)
1 egg and 1/4 cup water for egg wash


Preheat oven to 425 degrees


In a large bowl, mix beef, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, green onions, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and hot sauce.  



Take pie crust (ether homemade or store-bought) and roll out to 1/8 inch.  With a ramekin about 4 inches in diameter, cut out circles.


Place circles on an un-greased cookie sheet.  Fill the dough in center with some of the meat--about a 1/2 T.  Fold over to make a half-circle and then crimp the edges with a fork--they will look like dumplings.  Don't worry if some of the filling spills out a little.  


In a small bowl, wisk your egg and add your water to create an egg-wash.  With a kitchen brush, brush on the egg wash onto the dumplings and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  Take off heat and let sit on cooling racks...then enjoy!


Continue until you run out of pie crust.  Save the remainder  of the filling (if you have any) and bake it later for a Jamaican meat loaf--or freeze it immediately for another time.










Homemade Onion Rings


2 medium size yellow onions - I recommend Vidalia 
3/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 c. water
1 egg, beaten
Oil for cooking - I recommend vegetable oil
Seasoning salt


Slice your onions and gently pull out the rings--the small pieces are fine too
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients
Add water and egg and whisk until smooth


Heat oil in a large saucepan - I recommend a cast iron skillet.  You will want it to get pretty hot.  You can test it by spooning in a pea size amount of the batter into the oil.  If it sizzles and cooks to golden brown, you are in business.  Keep in mind that you may have to add oil throughout the process.  Do so without the onions in the skillet and wait for it to get back up to temperature.


While the oil is heating up, layer a plate with a paper towel..this is where you'll want to put your onion rings as they fry up.


In batches, dip the onions in batter and add to the hot oil.  Once the onions are golden brown, remove them with tongs and place them on the paper towel-lined plate and immediately add a sprinkle of seasoning salt.


Continue to work in batches until all the onions are cooked, adjusting oil levels and temperature as you go.  Enjoy the process--the end product is well worth it!










Spaghetti Tacos


Your favorite type of spaghetti--we like thicker noodles--cooked al dente and drained
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef or chuck
1 pkg of taco seasoning
Your favorite brand of spaghetti sauce
Hard taco shells - your fave brand
Extras:  shredded cheese, sour cream, avacado, fresh tomatoes


Brown your meat and drain
Return to pan and add the taco seasoning according to directions
Add seasoned meat to your cooked pasta along with anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup of your spaghetti sauce (it's up to you what you like)
Mix and warm


Scoop up your spaghetti into a hard shell taco and add your favorite extras (if any).  Enjoy!






Hot Ham and Cheese Sammies!


2 packages Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1 1/2 lbs. shaved ham
1 c. shredded mozzerella cheese (my friend's recipe calls for Swiss cheese, so feel free to use that instead)
2 sticks of butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T Worchestershire sauce


Slice the sweet rolls in half.  Place all the bottoms in a 9 x 13 pan.  Top the bottom of the rolls with plenty of the shaved ham and then top generously with the cheese.  Place the roll tops on top.


In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, mustard and Worchestershire and bring to a boil.  Take off heat and spoon generously over the sammies.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  When ready, place the sammies in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Enjoy!


Weight Watchers Chicken - this is sooooo easy


1 to 1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, trimmed
About 2 T Dijon mustard
About 1 to 1 1/2 t of reduced sodium soy sauce
3/4 to 1 c. italian bread crumbs


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard and soy sauce
With a kitchen brush, brush on mustard and soy sauce mixture onto both sides of chicken
Lightly cover each chicken breast with bread crumbs (I take a plate with sides and put the breadcrumbs in it.  Then add a chicken breast or two--depending on size--and, in a sifting motion over the sink, cover one side of the chicken.  Turn chicken breast and repeat process).
When all chicken is coated, place in a pan or on a cookie sheet and cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is done.


Zucchini Fritters


Approx. 2 medium size zucchini (ends cut off and peeled)
1 t. salt
1 T lemon juice
About 1 1/2 t. parsley - fresh or dried, use your judgement on how much you like
1 medium clove garlic (peeled and minced) If you are like me, I used freeze-dried already chopped
1/4 t pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c all-purpose flour
Oil - I use vegetable oil for this recipe.  


Using large holes of a grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl.  Add salt, lemon juice, parsley, garlic and pepper.  Mix well.  Add beaten eggs until well combined.  Slowly add flour, stirring constantly.


In a large saucepan, heat oil until oil sizzles with a drop of the zucchini mixture.  Carefully drop about 2 T of mixture into the pan and let brown (about 2-3 minutes).  Then flip.  When fritters are browned on both sides, transfer onto a paper-towel lined plate and lightly sprinkle with salt.  Continue until all the mixture is gone.  






Tex-Mex Taco Bean Soup (courtesy of Aunt Mary Beth)


2 t.  olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/2 c. water
16 oz. refried beans (I choose fat free, but use what you like)
1 c. salsa (your favorite brand and heat--we like thick and chunky mild)
1/4 t. each chili powder and cumin


In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add turkey and cook until turkey is brown--breaking up as you go.  Drain off any liquid in a colander.  Return meat and onion mixture into pot, turning down heat to medium.  Add water, refried beans, salsa, chili powder an cumin.  Stir.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes, still stirring occasionally.  Cover until ready to serve.  Feel free to add cheddar cheese, sour cream and fritos as desired in individual bowls!




My FAVE summer salad


Fresh tomatoes (if you can get them, otherwise, it's still good).  Cut out the seedy, juicy parts.


A cucumber - again fresh is best.  I like to "shave" mine (take off the peel), slice in have and scoop out the seed, then cut in small pieces.


A chopped up celery stalk


Black olives (chopped)


About 1/2 c. of feta cheese


Olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.


Take your chopped veggies, sprinkle in the feta.  Then add a swirl of olive oil and then sprinkle in the red wine vinegar (this is all to YOUR taste, how YOU like it...just remember you can always add, but can't take away).


Salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!








Easy Potato Soup


1 chopped onion - sweeter the better (go for Vidalia if you can get it or a sweet yellow)

1 T of butter (the real stuff)

42 oz of chicken broth

32 oz frozen hash browns

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. milk (we use skim)

Sautee those onions in the butter until translucent. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the hash browns and bring back to a boil. Add soups and milk. Bring back to a boil, then simmer.

Now--in the Duffy household, when the soup is ready, we like to add shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits (homemade--4 slices will do you well for a family of four). The skim milk makes up for it--LOL!

There is no reason to have grease all over your kitchen or microwave in order make bacon. Here's a great trick I learned that I'm happy to share:

Take a cookie sheet and cover it in foil. Place a cooling rack on the foil. Put your bacon on the rack and cook it a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (or to your desired crispness).

The grease will drip down on the foil and you can let it sit until congealed. Then simply throw it away and wash your cookie sheet as you normally do. Easy Peasy!

My first recommendation--a twist on Spag and Meatballs.


What's about the easiest thing to make for dinner---spaghetti!  I have found that, on a busy weeknight, just a few variations on an old tradition coupled with some help from the grocery shelf, can render a yummy meal in no time.


1. Pick your favorite pasta--for this, we like a hearty spaghetti noodle.
2. You can make your own sauce but I have found that Hunt's or Kroger's version in a can not only has less sugar than several of the brand-name marinara sauces, it's less expensive as well.
3.  Here's where the fun comes--meatballs!
     I buy between 1.25 and 1.5 lbs of ground chuck.  Throw that in a bowl and mix in one egg, about 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs, a healthy amount of basil (fresh is always better, but not often available, so dried is fine). I also like a healthy sprinkle of parsley, but that's up to you.  I'd say no more than 1/2 tsp of Lawry's season salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper.  Then, take some grated parmesan cheese and sprinkle in as much as you'd like.  Mix well (use your hands--it's easier) In a baking dish, lay down a small layer of your sauce.  Take small portions (about a ping-pong size) of your meatball mixture in your hands and roll it into a ball and plop them into the baking dish.  Bake the meatballs in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes.
4.  In the meantime, cook your pasta as directed.  
5.  Combine as you like, adding more sauce as you like.
6.  We like to add a salad and some kind of bread as well (I make a killer homemade white bread that rocks with olive oil!)