Monday, October 31, 2011

Slow-cooker beef, bacon, and lentil soup

Lentils are a great addition to your diet as they bring not only fiber but also vitamins and minerals to the table.  And, since they are pretty much a blank-canvas, tastewise, in my opinion, you can pretty much include them in anything!

1 1/2 c. dried lentils, washed and drained
5 c. cold water
8 oz. bacon, cut into lardons
1 lb. stew meat
1 large onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter OR olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
2 c. warm water mixed with 1 tsp. beef soup base
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp. good vinegar (balsamic or sherry would be great)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground mustard

Brown the bacon in a skillet; remove bacon to paper towels to drain and discard most of the bacon drippings (leave just a tad bit in the pan to add flavor to the beef and vegetables!).  Turn the heat a little higher and sear the stew meat; remove to a plate to rest.  In the same skillet, without cleaning it out, quickly sear the vegetables, except the garlic, in the butter or olive oil.  When the vegetables have some nice color on them, stir in the flour, making a roulx.  Stirring constantly, allow the roulx to cook for a few minutes, otherwise your soup will taste like paste.  Then add in the salt, pepper, paprika, coriander, mustard and vinegar (standing too close when adding the vinegar will literally knock the breath out of you!).  Pour in some of the beef soup base dissolved in water to deglaze the pan (scrape all of that wonderful color and flavor off the bottom of the pan!), then combine everything in your crockpot.  Cook on low 7 hours or high for 3 hours.

Sidenotes: this recipe originally called for ground beef - I classed it up a bit with stew meat, but there is no reason you can't go back to just ground beef; the difference would be that the ground beef should be cooked completely before you put it into your crock.  A roulx is a mixture using (usually) flour or arrowroot (I've never used it) used to thicken sauces and soups; cornstarch dissolved in cold water is another technique for thickening a soup/stew or sauce.  As far as I'm concerned, they are interchangeable, as long as you know that cornstarch is ALWAYS dissolved completely in cold water before adding to a hot liquid, brought to a boil, and then allowed to simmer.  Flour and arrowroot are always added to some kind of fat in a hot pan and cooked off some before the liquid is added; to ensure that your roulx isn't lumpy, I recommend whisking as you add your liquid to the pan.  If you use a cold liquid, you deglaze your pan, pulling up all those lovely flavor notes from the bottom of the pan (as well as making clean-up easier as you've eliminated the need to scrub!).  Also, you don't need to cook/brown anything but the bacon (and ground beef, if using it) before adding it to the crock.  But the browning step adds a definite depth of flavor, so if you have the time, make sure you do it - you won't regret it!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Upside-down French toast

This is absolutely one of my favorite plan-ahead company's-here breakfasts.  It has to refrigerate overnight, so plan-ahead.  Also, it is super duper rich and filling.  I usually don't even serve anything else with it, although if we had a lot of people, I would probably make some bacon or sausage to accompany it.  I just make this with my traditional sandwich bread that I buy, but if you really want to class it up, you could buy some French bread and slice it up.  To make it even more rich and flavorful, use whole milk or a combination of milk and cream (or coffee creamer!).

1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
enough slices of bread to stack two high and completely fill a 9x13 pan

In the bottom of a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish, melt butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg on stovetop and stir together.  Once the mixture is well-combined, remove from heat and allow caramel to distribute evenly along bottom of pan (you may need to don some ovenmitts and tilt the pan this way and that to help it along).

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla until it is a well-combined custard mixture.  Layer bread slices two high on top of caramel sauce in baking dish - you will need to cut some slices of bread to ensure that the bread goes from end to end and side to side without any gaps.  Pour the custard over the bread, making sure to soak each slice.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until bread is golden.  When serving each slice, flip it over so the caramel sauce is on top.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Honey mustard glazed salmon

I love salmon, and I usually only get it when we're out to eat.  However, if there's a good price at the grocery store, I like to have a few tasty and easy recipes on hand.

2 salmon fillets (12 oz. total)
2 T butter
2 T dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey

Place frozen salmon fillets skin side up in a small baking dish lined with heavy foil.  Broil 4 inches from heat for 5-7 minutes.  Turn and broil another 5-7 minutes.  Brush with glaze, and broil until glaze is golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes.

*For thawed fillets, broil 3-5 minutes, skin side up; flip, glaze and broil another 3-5 minutes.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Crispy parmesan onion chicken

A tweak on your basic chick parm recipe, courtesy of my new love of onions (thank you, pregnancy).

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. parmesan cheese (or 2 T each: parmesan, romano, and asiago)
small can of French's French fried onions

Combine mayo, pepper and cheese in a mixing bowl.  Slather on top of chicken breasts and press onions into mixture.  Bake loosely tented on a foil-lined sheet tray at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Note: not tenting (i.e. a piece of foil folded in half length-wise and just placed over the top) will cause the onions to burn.  Changes the flavor some, but also not a bad taste.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

House dressing

I got this dressing recipe from my mother-in-law.  I first had it at her house one night for dinner and I couldn't get enough of it.  It is best made in a blender or a leak-proof food processor.

3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 tsp. dry mustard
5 Tbsp. honey
1 c. salad oil (I just use classico olive oil or canola oil)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar (I've also used red wine and raspberry vinegar)
dash of worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion
parsley
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients and process or blend until emulsified (the oil and mayo are no longer separated).  Chill 1-2 hours before use to let flavors marry.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Zucchini bread, by special request

So, I'm not much for baking, generally, because it tends to be very exact.  When I cook, I tend to play fast and loose with measurements.  In fact, almost all of my recipes are just guesses for measurements since I almost never actually measure anything in cooking.  However, baking??  Baking deals with chemistry.  Your measurements need to be precise so you don't totally screw up what you are baking.  But there is one thing that I always hit out of the park - quickbreads.  What's a quickbread?  A quickbread doesn't use yeast and therefore doesn't need to rise, making it quicker.

My friend's son is a picky eater.  In a bid to get him eating more vegetables, she is test driving the quickbreads with him.  Now, mind you, quickbreads can have a high sugar content, so they should not be relied upon as a sole source of vegetables.  But they are very tasty!!  So, by request from my friend, I bring you a recipe for zucchini bread (don't knock it 'til you've tried it)!

3 c. zucchini, unpeeled and shredded
3 eggs
1 c. oil (or 1 c. butter softened)
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Mix together eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; stir in zucchini.  Add in flour, stirring as little as possible to combine (over-mixing will result in tough bread).  Pour into loaf pans, filling only 2/3 full.  Place loaf pans onto foil lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Note: I usually get three loaves out of this recipe.  And if it weren't for the sheet pan, I'd also have one hell of a mess in my oven.  Do NOT skip the sheet pan, I'm telling you!!

Chimichurri

I first experienced chimichurri sauce in Argentina, while I was studying abroad.  Chimichurri is a sauce that is rumored to have been created by Jimmy McCurry or another similarly named person.  You can read the wikipedia article I linked there if you're curious.  There is apparently a green version, but I am really only familiar with the red version, which is the recipe I've included below for you.  This sauce is used on all meats, either used during cooking or afterward for dipping, and for anything else.  As a double whammy for you, I'm including my absolute favorite use for it - grilled half chickens.  Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. good vinegar (I like white wine or champagne vinegar)
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. onion, minced
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.  Allow to sit for at least 1 hour prior to use.

 

Chimichurri chicken
1 whole chicken, bone in, skin on, halved (2 breast/thigh/leg halves)
1 batch chimichurri sauce
salt
pepper
olive oil

Preheat a charcoal grill, using only about 15 briquettes and spread evenly into a thin layer once ready.  Gently slide your finger between the breast meat and the skin, being careful not to puncture the skin, and create a pocket down to the thigh joint.  Slide your finger under the skin covering the thigh from the side, again being careful not to puncture the skin.  Gently push the chimichurri down into the pockets using almost all of the mixture.  Spray or brush the skin with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the remaining chimichurri.  Grill skin side down over low heat for about 22-25 minutes (chicken skin should be crispy and dark golden brown).  Oil back side of chickens, flip, and grill another 20-25 minutes.  Finger lickin' good!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Confused by some cooking terms?

When I first started cooking, an unfamiliar cooking term in a recipe was enough to turn me off from it.  As I've gotten more confident in the kitchen, I started feeling confident enough to tackle unfamiliar prep techniques as well.  Below are a few easy techniques that will add in understanding a recipe and getting the correct result from your food.

Chiffonade (chiff-uh-NOD) - cut into small ribbons.  For instance, I chiffonade fresh basil to top our pizzas every now and then.  You take your washed and dried basil leaves and stack them together.  Starting from one side, roll the stack up; placing the seam side down on your cutting board, start slicing through the roll of leaves.  You will have perfectly ribbonned herbs in a fraction of the time. Mediterranean stuffed chicken breasts

Lardon (lar-DOHn) - cut into small strips, usually refers to meats like bacon.  This is easiest to do with some kitchen shears - just take your slices of bacon and cut thin pieces across the strips.  If using a knife, this works best on very cold bacon.

Temper - to slightly warm an ingredient before adding it to a hot pan, reducing the risk of an undesirable texture, taste, or flavor.  This usually deals with eggs.  If you add eggs to a hot pan, you are going to start scrambling them.  Adding a bit of the cooking liquid slowly while stirring quickly will help to bring your cold eggs up to your cooking temperature without scrambling them. Bacon and eggs pasta

These are the three that come to the forefront in my mind because I just typed up some recipes using them.  If there are any more terms you'd like to have clarified, feel free to let me know!!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Bacon and eggs pasta (aka pasta alla carbonara)

This is one of my favorite Italian meals.  Before I really knew what pasta alla carbonara was, I used to make a fake version for my hubby and I; it consisted of frying up a bunch of bacon, cooking a pound of pasta, and using an entire jar of alfredo.  Definitely not a healthy meal choice!  This is true pasta alla carbonara, and us Americans may (or may not) be more familiar with the term bacon and eggs pasta.  Not every culture treats eggs as a breakfast food, and this is one dish that will bring eggs to your dinner table, instead of just your breakfast table.  Buon apetito!

1 lb. pasta
2 T olive oil
4 oz. bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 large eggs
1 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 c. reserved pasta cooking water
parsley
black pepper

*Prepare sauce while pasta is cooking.

Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 c. of the water for the sauce (the starch from the pasta will help to turn runny eggs into a creamy sauce).  Heat oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat; cook bacon in oil for about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and parmesan; slowly add cooking water to temper eggs (prevent them from becoming scrambled when you add them to the pasta).

Drain pasta and add to pan, tossing quickly to coat pasta with bacon fat (about 2 minutes).  Remove pan from heat.  Add eggs mixture and toss quickly - the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs.  You should have pasta with bacon in a creamy "alfredo-looking" sauce.  Season with parsley and black pepper.  Serve hot.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Guest contribution: Slow-cooker ribs

This is a recipe from my friend.  She is so amazing, because she doesn't eat meat, but she dutifully prepares it for her husband and two-year-old daughter.  It is very hard to properly cook something if you don't eat it (and thereby taste what you have done to it), but she consistently hits it out of the park.  This is an easy meal for her to prepare and her husband absolutely loves it.

1 package ribs (you choice of cut, she used boneless country ribs)
1 bottle of barbeque sauce
1-12 oz. can of Dr. Pepper

Place ribs in crock and slather with 3/4 of bbq sauce and pour in can of Dr. Pepper.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Remove from crock and place on cookie sheet lined with foil; top with remaining sauce and bake at 350 until the sauce carmelizes (about 20-30 minutes).  Serve with your favorite vegetable as a side.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Sweet and smoky sloppy Joes

This recipe was inspired by my deep and abiding love for barbeque sauce.  I love the sweet and smoky flavors and how they complement just about any meat perfectly.  The carrot in the sauce, grated finely, melts away, leaving only a sweet background in the sauce but giving you (or should I say me?) some much needed vegetables.

1 lb. ground beef
1 small (sweet) onion, minced
1 large carrot, finely grated
1-8 oz. can (garlic) tomato sauce
1 heaping Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Put beef into cold high-sided skillet and break up to create one even layer of meat in the bottom of the pan.  Meanwhile, chop the onion and peel the carrot.  Add the onion and break up the meat some more; redistribute to again achieve an even layer of meat in the pan.  Grate the carrot over the meat and onion mixture, stirring well when finished.  Add the sugar, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and stir well.  Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the sauce to begin to thicken.  Add the spices and stir well.  Serve hot on buns.

Note: if you like spicier sloppy Joes, you could substitute chipotle pepper powder for the smoked paprika.  I think the next time I make this, I'm going to try a combination of the two, as I really love the flavor of paprika.  You could also add more black pepper and chili powder, as each form of pepper hits your tongue in a different place, thereby deepening the flavor.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Easy pizza dough

I've tried a few pizza dough recipes, and this is my new favorite one - the crust isn't dry and crumbly and if you make it thin (i.e. two pizzas from one batch instead of one), it gets deliciously crispy.

2 packets of dry active yeast (or 1 Tbsp., 1 1/2 tsp.)
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

In a food processor with a dough blade, combine flour and salt.  Pulse a few times to mix.  In a large measuring cup or in a mixing bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast.  Stir well and allow to proof for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add olive oil to food processor in a slow stream while running.  Turn off the food processor and add the water and yeast mixture in batches, making sure to pulse in between additions to combine well.  Once all water is added, pulse until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the blade (note: there shouldn't be very much loose flour along the bottom and sides.  If there is, pulse until excess flour is worked into dough.).  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well for about 15 minutes - dough will become shiny and very elastic.  Form into a ball and put into a bowl drizzled well with olive oil, turn the ball all around in it to make sure dough is well coated.  Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in a warm draft-free location and allow to rise at least 20 minutes (the longer it rises, the easier the dough is to work with to get a thinner crust).  Press into a sheet pan or onto a pizza pan.  Top as desired and bake in a 450 degree oven 12-20 minutes.  Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before cutting to avoid cheese that just slides off the crust.

Note: I usually turn my broiler on high for 5 minutes with the oven door closed before I start mixing.  Then, when the dough is ready to rise, I place the covered bowl in my oven that is still warm.  This helps the dough to rise, it is draft free and no one will mess with your precious dough (kids, husbands, etc.).

Friday, October 7, 2011

Easy (and I mean easy) enchiladas

One of my all-time favorite foods is enchiladas.  There is no end to the variations on the basic technique.  I almost always make mine with ground beef, though I recently tried them with chicken and they were fantastic.  I prefer the red sauce variety, so that is what you'll find here.  And you should know, I get my enchilada sauce from a mix packet.  Say what you will, but it is delicious!

1 packet (Lawry's) enchilada sauce seasoning packet
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
3 c. water
8 medium or house size flour tortillas
1 pound ground beef (or 2 1/2 c. shredded cooked chicken)
2 c. shredded (cheddar) cheese

Whatever toppings you want

Combine the seasonings, water, and tomato paste in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes and stir occasionally.  Meanwhile, cook the beef and drain off the fat.  Add 2/3 to 1 c. of the enchilada sauce to the meat and 1 c. of cheese.  Stir to combine and melt the cheese.

In the bottom of a greased glass baking dish, spread enough sauce to coat the bottom of the pan.  Lay a sheet of wax paper down, and score the meat mixture into quarters in the pan.  Place half of a quarter (in other words, 1/8 of the total mixture) along one edge of a tortilla, roll it tightly and place seam side down in the dish.  Repeat with 7 remaining tortillas.  Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and golden.  Serve hot.

Can be prepared the night before to the point of baking.  When it comes time for dinner, just pop in the oven for about 30 minutes.  These also freeze well after having been cooked.  To reheat, bake for20-30 minutes at 350 and serve hot.  If you desire the chicken filling, I used chicken I cut off a rotisserie chicken I bought from the deli at my grocery store.  It was flavorful and juicy (and frankly, I'm too lazy to shred it - I just sliced pieces off of the breasts and then diced it).

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Breakfast pizza

My mom found a recipe for breakfast pizza while I was in high school, I think.  So I've been eating it for a few years.  But her recipe was, no offense mom, just a little dull.  So, I've played around with it for a while, and I think that I've come up with a good and flavorful twist on it.  This is great to actually have for breakfast, to make and bake ahead for a quick weekday breakfast, or a great and different dinner.  (I'm a big fan of breakfast for dinner.  My husband?  Not so much.)  My favorite breakfast meat is bacon, but this would work with whichever breakfast meat you prefer.  If the meat is raw, cook it before using in the recipe.

9x13 pan, greased
2 tubes crescent rolls
8 large eggs
1/3 c. milk
1 Tbsp. Franks red hot sauce (more if desired)
6 slices bacon, cooked crispy (or 1/2 package of sausage meat, cooked and crumbled)
1/2 medium (sweet) onion, minced
1/2 c. shredded (cheddar) cheese
1 tsp. dill
salt
pepper

Press crescent rolls into bottom of greased 9x13 pan; ensure seams are closed to prevent egg leaking under crust.  Sprinkle onion and bacon on crust.  In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, and hot sauce.  Gently pour egg mixture over crust.  Sprinkle with dill, salt, pepper and cheese.  Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes until crust is golden brown and egg is set in the middle.

Serve hot out of the oven, or allow to cool to room temperature.  Either way, it is delicious!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Black bean burgers

This is a recipe I got from a registered dietitian.  They are delicious substitutes for beef burgers, though you need to be very careful turning them.  To cook them on the grill, use foil or a heavy bottomed pan - do not cook directly on the grate - they will fall through and you will have a stinky burning mess...

  • 2 cups cooked or 1 (15 ounce) can black beans

  • 1 whole egg

  • ½ cup plain whole wheat bread crumbs

  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder

  • ½ teaspoon cumin

  • ¼ cup water

  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste (or ketchup)

  • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • ½ small onion

  • About 2 tablespoons olive oil (if you are going to use the stove top)

  • Whole wheat buns


1)      Mash the beans with a fork in a mixing bowl.  You don't want to puree them, just get them mashed so that no whole beans are left, but you should leave some half beans.

2)      Add the egg, bread crumbs, chilli powder, cumin, water, and tomato paste (and cilantro, if using), but don't mix yet.  Use a micro plane grater to grate the garlic in (a garlic press works well too.)  Use the large holes on a box grater to grate in the onion.

3)      Mix everything together with a fork, and then proceed to knead with your hands, until the mixture is firm and uniformly mixed (about a minute)

4)      Preheat the grill / or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.

5)      Divide the burger mixture into 5-6 equal burgers

Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes per side, or until solid in center.  *Tip: to make better patties with your mixture, get two small bowls that will nest.  Line the inside of one with plastic wrap, put your bean mixture inside, fold the corners in and use the second bowl to form the patty.  Place patties in freezer for 15-20 minutes.  Patties will be firm enough to place on cook surface without falling apart

Just another note: my friend just made these for the first time and said that she formed them into balls, placed them in the frying pan, and then smooshed them down with a spatula she had sprayed with cooking oil.  Her method sounds much easier!!


Monday, October 3, 2011

A link to some quick help!

Have you ever ruined a meal?  I know I have.  I once oversalted something to the point where I thought I was going to shrivel up.  No good!  Today, Yahoo! posted 10 tips to prevent ruined meals.

You can check them out here.

Easy frittata

This works great as a meal any time, not just for breakfast.  It could also be partially prepared ahead (up until baking) and then baked off in the morning.  It is also very delicious as leftovers.  You could substitute some leftover pasta for the hashbrowns too.

1/2 package shredded hashbrowns

2 T (vegetable) oil

2 T minced onion

7 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 tsp. dill

2 tsp. Frank's red hot sauce

1/4 c. ham slices, minced

1/3 c. mozzarella

salt

pepper

In a high-sided, oven-safe skillet, heat 2 T. oil over medium high heat.  Add hashbrowns and onions, season with salt and pepper, press firmly with a spatula and let cook for 5-7 minutes.  Turn over in sections and remove from heat.  Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, dill, and hot sauce and whisk briskly.  Layer ham and cheese on top of hashbrowns and pour eggs over top.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake in skillet at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until eggs are fluffy and golden.  Serve hot, with additional hot sauce if desired.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Easy risotto

Creamy risotto depends on using a starchy rice and STIRRING your brains out - not adding cream or milk.  Also, this recipe works as a great base, so feel free to add your favorite mushroom or freshly grated cheese to add even more flavor.

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

Half a medium onion, diced

1 1/2 c. arborio rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4-5 c. (low sodium) chicken broth (can substitute one cup of dry white wine (sauvignon blanc) for one cup of broth)

In a large skillet with lid, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat; in a large saucepan, heat chicken broth.  Once butter is melted, add onion and still until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add rice and stir well to coat rice with fat; stir often over 10 minutes to toast rice.  When rice smells toasted and grains are solidly white, add in garlic, salt and pepper and stir well.  Add one cup of hot broth to pan and stir well - liquid should start to appear cloudy (this is the starch seeping out of the rice, this is what makes risotto creamy).  Stir until liquid is cooked out of pan and add another 1/2 c. liquid to pan, continuing to stir until liquid is cooked off.  Repeat process until 4 c. liquid have been used.  Test risotto to see if rice is completely cooked - if not, continue process.  Serve hot as a side dish to your favorite entree.

Note: it takes me about an hour to make this at our altitude, but it will probably take much less time (about 20-30 minutes) at sea level.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Chicken kebab marinade

So, this works best if you can let the chicken marinate for 6 hours.  I also used sweet onions, yellow peppers, and grape tomatoes on the kabobs.  And, as always, soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to avoid burning.

3/4 c. soy sauce

3/4 c. pineapple juice (or 1-6 oz. can)

1/4 c. cooking oil

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer five

minutes. Cool before marinating chicken.  Marinate at least 4 hours in refrigerator.  If doing veggies, marinate veggies separately from chicken, as chicken can contaminate the veggies.  Skewer and grill for about 20 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked.