Sunday, September 18, 2011

Katie's Chicken Salad

Before I forget, I came up with a delightful chicken salad combination that the internets should know about:

  • 1 package of boneless skinless chicken breast (1.5 lbs?)
  • 2-3 green apples, cored and diced (skins on!)
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • Salt, pepper to taste
Directions
I typically sear my chicken breast with salt, pepper, olive oil, and fresh garlic in a hot pan, then allow to finish baking in the oven at 350, until meat thermometer indicates they're finished.

Allow chicken to cool, then shred and place in a separate bowl.

Core and dice apples (typically I use 2-3), and red onion.

Combine apples, onion, chicken, almonds and mix together with 1-1 1/2 cups of nonfat Greek yogurt.

I like to use this as a filling in whole wheat tortillas, with lettuce/tomato, or whatever is on hand.

New dinners

Marcella Hazan's Simple Marinara

* 2 cups canned plum tomatoes (whole, peeled, chopped, with their juices about one 28-oz. can)
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
*1-2 Tb. molasses
*1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
* salt, to taste

Preparation

#1 Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter, and the onion halves in a medium saucepan.

#2 Add a pinch or two of salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato.

#3 Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and salt as needed.

#4 Add molasses, and balsamic vinegar

#5 Carefully puree one batch of sauce at a time in a food processor, return to heat and serve immediately.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/MARCELLA-HAZAN-SIMPLEST-TOMATO-SAUCE-EVER-1273750#ixzz1YMCo5Lcz


Turkey and White Bean Chili

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
  • 3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
  • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained

  • Chopped red onion
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Pass red onion, cilantro and yogurt separately.

Scones, scones....

I've been able to host some visitors to my new city, which has allowed for some experimenting and new recipes:

I'd also like to note that for both scone recipes, I've substituted whole wheat flour for half the white flour and things have turned out beautifully!

Blueberry Oat Scones
(Orangette.blogspot.com)
Adapted from Standard Baking Company (Portland, ME)

If you use frozen berries, do not thaw them before using.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. kosher salt
11 Tbsp. (5 ½ ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 ¾ cups cold half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries or blackberries

For garnish:
3 Tbsp. old-fashioned rolled oats
5 tsp. Turbinado sugar

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse to mix well. Add the butter and pulse again briefly, until the mixture looks coarse and the largest lumps of butter are no bigger than a pea.

In a large bowl, stir together the half-and-half and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the rolled oats, and stir until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Add the berries, and stir briefly to mix. [When I use blackberries in particular, I find that it’s difficult to stir them into the dough without crushing them, overworking the dough, and turning the whole mixture purple. My solution is to only stir a little, and then move on to the next step. As you scoop the dough onto the baking sheets, you can use your fingers to press any errant berries into the mounds of dough.]

Using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, scoop the dough into mounds, arranging them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Garnish the tops with rolled oats and Turbinado sugar.

Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until the center of the scones feels firm to the touch.

Note: Wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container, these keep beautifully at room temperature for 4 or 5 days. Warm in a toaster oven before eating.



Cinnamon Bun Scones

Ingredients
  • SCONES
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Quaker® Oats, quick or old fashioned, uncooked
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup whole or 2% milk
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • GLAZE
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons Tropicana Pure Premium® orange juice, Dole® 100% orange juice or milk













Preparation

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, combine milk, egg and vanilla; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir with fork or rubber spatula until dry ingredients are moistened. In small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with the pecans and cinnamon; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over dough in bowl; gently stir batter to swirl in cinnamon mixture (Do not blend completely.) Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, combine powdered sugar and enough orange juice for desired consistency; mix until smooth. Drizzle over top of warm scones. Serve warm.

Yield

12 SCONES