Curry Chicken Salad with Hazelnuts.

Curry Chicken Salad with Hazelnuts

I went on a girls weekend to Santa Cruz and came back with a craving for curry and as I was walking thru Trader Joe's there appeared pre-marinated curry chicken.

1 package Trader Joe's pre-marinated curry chicken(approx. 1.5 lbs.)

1 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. chopped hazelnuts

3 stalks celery chopped.

1/2 c. raw shredded coconut

1/4 c. mayo or greek yogurt. (I'm dairy free so I used mayo)

The day before I put the curry chicken in the crockpot with the raisins and set it to low.  Easy way to get this chicken cooked without a fuss.

Chopped up all the chicken into small cubes.  Chopped up all the other ingredients as well.  Now add them together and stir.  This should be enough for five days of lunches for me served on a bed of field greens with clementines.  

Guacomole!

                               What do you do when the grocery store has massive avocados?

I ended up with eight cups of ohhhhhhh so tasty Mexican dip.  Licking the bowl was the only option.

Guacomole

6 large avocados, diced

1.5 c. chopped cilantro

3-4 cloves of garlic, to taste

Juice of 1 lime

3/4 c. minced onion

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tomato chopped.

1.  Dice up avocados and put in a large bowl, you will want plenty of room to stir.

2  Add remaining ingredients and stir briskly.  The stirring action should mush up some of the avocado but leave you with a chunks as well.  I prefer chunky guacomole.

Serve with any tortilla chip or meal.

Warning:  Guacomole normally doesn't keep well overnight.

Thai Coconut Chicken!

So tasty! This was a little bit of an inspired meal for me.

Thai Coconut Chicken

2 lbs chicken tenders
Panko Bread Crumbs
3/4 cup. sweetened coconut
2 eggs

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained and reserve juice
1 T. Red Curry paste (or whatever kind you like)
3 T. soy sauce
1/2 can. coconut milk
1/3 c. chopped onion(I used a white onion because I didn't have green onion)


Preheat over to 375 degrees

In a bowl, whisk eggs until beaten. Set aside. Mix bread crumbs and coconut together and spread out on plate. Dip thawed chicken tender in egg then bread/coconut mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet for baking. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Place in over and cook for 20-22 minute until coconut starts to brown and juices run clear.

In sauce pan, mix 1/2 can of pineapple tidbits, 1/2 the reserved pineapple juice, curry paste, coconut milk, chopped onion, and soy sauce. Simmer until it is 1/2 reduced and starts to thicken a little.

Plate chicken tenders and ladle small amount of sauce over each portion. Enjoy!

You could serve this over rice and make more of the sauce by doubling the sauce portion of the recipe. Since Rich is a little sensitive to curry, I put it in a bowl and we dip each bit in the sauce to our liking.

Double Layer Peppermint Fudge

I've been gone for a long time so here is a sweet treat for all of you! Happy Holidays!


Double Layer Peppermint Fudge

1 bag(12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy chocolate frosting.

1 bag white chocolate chips
1 container Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy vanilla frosting

red food color

1/2 cup. crushed candy cane.

Sprinkles.

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, leaving soil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan. lightly grease foil with cooking spray.

In 3 qt. sauce pan heat chocolate chips and chocolate frosting on LOW heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and spread in greased pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another 3 qt. sauce pan, heat white chips and vanilla icing on LOW heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of food coloring and crushed peppermint. Pour over chocolate mixture, sprinkle with colored sugar if desired, and let refrigerate for 1 hr.

Cut into squares and serve.

Szechuan Turkey Meatballs.

Another great experiment that got the hubby's approval!. Keeping with the theme, of 'use what I have' I found some frozen ground turkey breast in the freezer and went from there.


1 lb ground turkey(1% fat)
1/3 c. chopped green onion
2 Tablespoons Szechuan stir Fry Sauce(not the paste!)
1 egg
4 T. sesame seeds
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 c. red bell pepper, finely diced.
1/2 tube whole wheat saltine, crushed.

1 T. Szechuan Stir Fry Sauce(Mix with water below)
3 T. water.

In large mixing bowl combine ingredients and knead together with hands or wooden spoon. Feel free to use your Kitchen Aide with a meat hook, I just don't like messing up another utensil.

On stove, heat up 2 T. olive or sesame oil in large skillet, on medium to medium low heat.

Form 16-24 meatballs depending on preferred size and place in hot oil. Cook on each side approximately 8 mins. When nice browned on each side add additional sauce and 3 T. water and gently stir meatballs to glaze them.

I served this with a mix of Chinese veggies steamed in soy sauce and garlic. You could always add some plain brown rice if you want.

Un-Gourmet Recipes

Ok....I'm experimenting and these came out REALLY well. This weeks challenge...COOK OUT OF THE HOUSE!. It forces you to get creative and truly see how the budget can stretch.


Spaghetti Meat Sauce - Total Cost - $6

1 pkg. ground beef (1.5 lbs) and frozen is fine.
1 can Hunt's Garlic and Herb Canned pasta sauce
1/2 onion, large diced
1 T. garlic powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp oregano

Simmer all ingredients on LOW for 8 hrs. Boil noodles of your choice and serve on top. Note: I put the ground beef in a perfectly frozen rectangle and didn't break up the piece until time to serve.


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Sherry Chicken with Wild Rice - Total cost $10

2-3 lbs boneless chicken
1 c. cooking sherry
1 c. water
1/2 tsp curry powder(optional)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 stalks celery, large diced
1 onion, large diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

2 pkgs Mahatma Wild Rice
1 sm. can mushrooms


Put first 9 ingredient in crock pot and simmer on low all day. An HOUR before dinner, turn to high and add Rice, 1 c. of water, and mushrooms. Cook 45 mins until rice is done.

Yummy French Food!

Here are the recipes from last night.

Classic French Chicken in White Wine Sauce.

Butter
4 lbs of thin chicken breast
salt pepper

1 medium onion chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 oz. diced prosciutto
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. light cream
2 T. cornstarch

Melt butter in large skillet over med. heat(approx 2 T.) Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet until both sides are brown, approx. mins per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside..

Add onion, carrot, celery, and prosciutto into pan with additional tablespoon of butter. Saute until onions are browning. Approx 8-10 mins. Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine with vegetables. Put the chicken back in the pan, reduce heat to simmer, cover skillet with lid for 20-25 mins.

Remove chicken from pan. Turn heat to high and bring remaining liquid to boil. Combine cream and corn starch in bowl and whisk together. Pour into boiling liquid and stir to thicken.

Place chicken on plates and cover in wine sauce...serve with preferred sides.


Pork Tenderloin with Gremalata Marinade.

2.5 lbs pork tenderloin
Olive Oil
Cavender's Seasoning

2 cans. chicken broth
1 orange, peel grated and orange sliced
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
2 bay leaves
3/4 c. honey, divided
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. fresh thyme chopped finely
3 T. fresh rosemary chopped finely

Turn gas grill on and warm to medium heat. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, season to taste with Cavender's seasoning or similar. Place on grill for 10 mins. each side.

While tenderloin is cooking.....In sauce pan bring the chicken broth, 3 orange slices, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leavces, 1/2 c. honey and pepper to boil. Let simmer for 20 mins.

In small bowl, Combine grated orange, thyme, rosemary, 1/4 c. honey, and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Mix together well to make orange Gremolata.

Take pork tenderloin off grill and place in grill safe dish(aluminium roasting pan)....pour herbed brother over tenderloin. Cover tenderloin with gremolata.

Cover pan with lid or foil and place back on grill at low setting.....roast for approx. 35-40 mins.

Slice and serve with bread to soak up juices....YUMMY!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I will admit to eating these for breakfast, telling a lie that the oatmeal makes them healthy. HA!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.

1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/4 c. crisco
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt.
2 eggs.
2 c. oatmeal
1.5 c. chocolate chips
2 c. flour

Mix first 7 ingredients in Kitchen Aide mixer until smooth. Add oatmeal and mix well. Add desired amount of chocolate chips. I find that 1.5 cups is a good amount. Funny enough, my Granny used to hand place 3 chocolate chips onto each cookie once on the tray. Not much of a sweet tooth. Back to the recipe.....Add two cups of flour and mix thoroughly.

Spoon batter onto cookie sheets, balls should be about 1" in diameter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

White Bean Hummus

1 can white Northern Beans(I use the Kroger brand)
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt.
Fresh basil to taste.

Put in blender and push GO! May need to add a little water to get it to mix. You can experiment with the ingredients.

lemon juice, oregano, feta, and Greek Olives in it for a Greek style. I
Roasted Red pepper, jalepeno, chili powder, garlic powder and a dash of cumin

This makes as much as a Sabra container for basically the cost of the can of beans(1.19), plus a few random ingredients. It freezes really well too!

Basil Walnut Orzo

This was an experiment last night when I forgot to start the homemade garlic fries. Ooops! At least the oops led to a new recipe.

Basil Walnut Orzo

1 c. uncooked orzo pasta
1 T. olive oil
6 c. water
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt.
3/4 c. low fat mozzerella cheese.
3/4 c. walnuts chopped.

(Jennie - some of those sun dried tomatoes might rock in this!)

1. Put orzo, olive oil, and water in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Turn down to low heat and let simmer five minutes. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to bottom of pan

2. Add basil, black pepper, garlic powder, and garlic salt.

3. Cover sauce pan and let simmer for additional 6-9 minutes.

4. When orzo is cooked, take pan off heat. Stir in mozzerella cheese and pour into serving dish. Sprinkle walnuts across top.

This was the perfect complement to the Salmon fillet we were eating.

Salmon Fillet with fresh Dill

1 lb. salmon fillet
3 T. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. butter or margerine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Cover baking pan with foil.

2. Place salmon on ungreased foil.

3. Sprinkle salmon with dill and salt.

4. Bake salmon for 30 mins.

5. Take out of over and place butter on top of salmon, return to over for 3-4 mins.

6. Remove salmon from oven. Use a spatula to separate salmon meat from skin, the skin should be stuck to the foil. Serve onto plates or serving platter.