Potato Pancakes

  By admin | May 4, 2012 - 10:08 AM | Quick Dinners
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Tired of serving mashed potatoes with dinner?  Making potato pancakes is easy and adds variety to your meal while satisfying   picky eaters.  You can serve these pancakes with just about anything, and they’re great with gravy.  To make gluten free, just substitute cornstarch for the flour.

 

 

POTATO PANCAKES

3 medium russet potatoes

1 egg

2 Tbsp minced onion

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

Canola oil

Peel the potatoes and hold them in cold water.  Beat the egg, add the onion and garlic and gradually beat in the flour and salt.  Grate the potatoes on a coarse grater or mandolin, blot them dry on a paper towel and add them to the batter and mix.  In a heavy skillet heat 4 tablespoons of canola oil on medium high, pour the potato mixture into the skillet in four piles and flatten with a spatula.  If the pan is not large enough, do two at a time and hold in a warm oven. Cook until golden brown on each side, blot on paper towel and serve.

Chili to Warm you Up – A Sure Winner!

  By admin | February 20, 2012 - 6:24 PM | Tips
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This chili is great the day you make it and even better the next day. I generally serve it over a little steamed rice but the last time I made it I served it over fried red potatoes and it was fantastic! The finely chopped carrot adds a little extra sweetness with a dose of vitamins.

 

 

CHILI

 

4 Tbsp olive oil divided

1¼ pounds ground turkey

1 pound ground pork

2 C chopped onion

¼ of a red bell pepper, chopped

2 ribs celery chopped

1 jalapeno seeded and ribs removed, chopped

3C chicken stock divided

1 carrot finely chopped

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes

1 16oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 16oz can Great Northern beans drained and rinsed

3 tsp chopped garlic

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cayenne

2 Tbsp chili powder

1tsp salt (omit if using canned stock)

 

Garnish

Cheddar cheese

Chopped onion

 

Thoroughly brown turkey and pork in 2 Tbsp oil.  Using a four quart pot, soften the onion in 2Tbsp of the oil. Add the bell pepper, celery and jalapeno and cook five minutes more. Add two cups of the chicken stock the browned meat and the remainder of the ingredients. De-glaze the browning skillet with the remaining cup of chicken stock and add to the soup pot. Bring the chili to a low boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Serve garnish with cheddar cheese and serve chopped onion on the side.

TIP: When an onion is cut two compounds in the onion are mixed and form the compound that tastes bitter. After chopping the onion for the garnish rinse it under cold running water to remove the bitterness and drain.

 

Fried Chicken a New Way

  By admin | February 13, 2012 - 4:09 PM | Ingredients
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Fried Chicken

Source: ellysaysopa.com via Sara on Pinterest

 

Here’s a different take on classic fried chicken that I came up with while making Chinese food many years ago.  I decided to toss the chicken into cornstarch and egg.  It takes less time and work than the traditional fried chicken recipe.  Try this easy method and you may never go back to your old fried chicken recipe!

Fried Chicken

Canola oil

Skin on chicken parts of your choice (I use drumsticks and thighs)

Cornstarch

Smoked paprika (or seasoning of your choice)

2 egg whites

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees farenheit.  Heat one inch of canola oil in a deep pan to 300 degrees farenheit using a deep frying thermometer.  Pour some cornstarch onto a square of wax paper and season it with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Dredge the chicken through the corn starch and reserve.  A few pieces at a time, dip the chicken in the egg white until completely covered and fry in the oil.  Fry until golden brown, about ten minutes on each side.  Drain on paper towel and keep warm in oven until all pieces are done.  Check for doneness and serve.  Enjoy!

(Common sense caution:  When frying food in oil, keep a lid handy  to cover a flame in the pan, just in case!)

Dinner for your Sweetheart

  By admin | February 7, 2012 - 1:47 PM | Quick Dinners
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Photo: www.backcountrywines.com

 

Valentine’s Day is just a week away!  Impress your sweetheart by cooking a special dinner that’s actually quick to prepare.  The rack of lamb is the centerpiece of the meal, and its recipe has only three ingredients.

  RACK OF LAMB

One rack of lamb
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp fresh garlic finely chopped
Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Place the lamb in a Pyrex dish fat side up.  Lightly salt and pepper the lamb.  Sprinkle with garlic then smear with Dijon mustard.  Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.  Check for doneness then carve into individual chops and serve.  The lamb goes great with a wilted spinach salad, steamed broccoli, and potatoes or white rice.  Add a nice merlot to go with the meal and you are set!

 

Mexican Corn

  By admin | January 4, 2012 - 12:54 AM | Uncategorized
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Here’s a great side dish with a great savory flavor that I like to serve with chicken enchiladas.  I really like the color that the red pepper and onion slices add to the yellow corn.  (This is my son –in-law’s favorite vegetable side dish!)

MEXICAN CORN

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 medium onion coarsely chopped

1/3 red bell pepper coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed (peppers contain volatile oils, wear gloves if necessary)

4 cultivated mushrooms coarsely chopped

3 Cups corn (if frozen thaw first)

1 tsp Adobo seasoning (contains onion, Garlic, black pepper, Mexican Oregano, cumin and Cayenne )

1/8 tsp  Ancho chili pepper

About 1/2 Cup  low sodium chicken stock (I use Trader Joe’s 70mg sodium/Cup)

Salt to taste

Sauté the onion and bell pepper in olive oil till the onion is softened. Cut the jalapeno into small strips and add. Sauté for a couple more minute then add the mushrooms.

After about three more minutes add the corn, Adobo and Ancho. Stir and add the stock and cook till the corn is tender. Add salt to taste and serve.

*I like to use low sodium chicken broth because I want to decide how much salt is in a recipe.  If I have some broth left  after I have made a dish, I take a sharpie and date the quart container.  If I have broth left after a couple of days,  I freeze it in one cup portions.  This is great to throw in with vegetables or  rice.

 (side dish, corn, gluten free, low sodium, vegetable, Mexican, Southwest)