Coq au Vin (onion free)
Chicken stewed with vegetables and white white is a French classic. Unfortunately the onions can disagree with sensitive stomachs. This revamp leaves out the onions and uses a little more pepper to kick up the flavor. The result is a silky brew with buttery flavor.
6 strips good quality pepper bacon
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon parsley leaf
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless cut to 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter
2 large carrots, chopped
4 stalks organic celery chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash salt
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white cooking wine (chardonnay)
Heat a large, heavy bottom soup pot and add 3 slices bacon. Cook bacon in the soup pot, then set aside to drain. Cook the next 3 pieces of bacon in the pot as well, then remove them to drain. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and spices. Mix well and coat half of the chicken in the flour mixture. Brown the first batch of chicken in the pot, then remove them to a heat proof bowl. Next dredge the second batch of chicken in the flour mixture, then brown as well in the pot. Remove the chicken and add butter into the pot. Add in carrots and celery along with pepper and salt, then saute them at high heat until they begin to wilt and brown slightly. Add in all chicken, chopped the bacon and add, then add chicken broth and white white. Stir well and bring to a boil. Then reduce and cook at a medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serves 6
Southwestern White Bean Chicken Chili
This white bean chili takes a left turn and heads south to pick up a little more spice while retaining the creamy feel of classic chicken chili.
2 Tablespoons Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large White Onion
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon white flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 15oz cans white beans
1 15oz can corn
1 4oz can fire-roasted, diced green chilies
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh cilantro
In a large soup pot add the Olive oil and heat. Chop the onion and add into the pot. Saute the onion until clear, fragrant and beginning to turn caramel brown. Chop the chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes and add into the heated pot. Add Oregano, Cumin and ground pepper. brown the chicken for about 8 minutes, mixing well to coat with spices. Sift in the white flour and toss to coat. In a separate strainer, drain the White Beans and corn to remove the liquid they were canned with. Add the chicken broth into the soup pot, stir and then add white beans with corn. Stir and then add in the can of fire roasted green chilies. Stir together well and then cook, covered, at a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, quickly stir in the heavy cream and serve in soup bowls garnished with fresh cilantro.
Serves 6
Perfect Lime Barbecue Chicken
I rarely say ‘perfect’ unless something really is exceptional. And after a lot of testing, failing and testing some more I have finally figured out how to get juicy, succulent chicken off the barbecue. Tired of burnt chicken hockey pucks? Then read on.
The trick is brining. Soaking the chicken breasts in a salt water solution for about an hour before you cook them. The salt water draws moisture into the chicken and keeps it moist while it cooks over the searing barbecue heat. And while you a soaking, why not add some lime and a little Thai Chili for kick? Here’s how it works
2 large boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Thai Red Chili paste
1/2 cup fresh, clear water
After defrosting your chicken a bit, split the breast open with a knife and butterfly them. Mix the salt, lime, chili and water together in a plastic zip top bag and then place the chicken breasts into it. Let these soak for an hour (not more than two hours) and then grill over high heat on a barbecue. They should come off the grill with toasty brown grill stripes and a mouthful of flavor. We make these to serve on top of salad or with pasta. Every time we make them they come out … perfect.
Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes
This recipe came out of my search for something the kids can eat with a little more protein and a little less sugar. It still has the sweet, airy bite of a pancake but with a lot more nutritional substance packed into it to help young bodies grow.
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white flour
1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Melt the butter in a good, durable mixing bowl. Mix in the milk and eggs with a whisk to thoroughly blend. Add in the honey, salt and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Now add your white flour, wheat flour and baking soda. Gently fold these in and whisk until well blended. Heat your griddle or fry pan and add butter to keep the pancakes from sticking. Pour out batter onto the hot surface in 6 inch rounds, cooking until the air bubbles rising to the surface of the batter pop and remain open. Then flip the pancakes and give them abother minute or so on the other side. Then move them off to a warming plate to serve.
This recipe yields about ten 5 inch pancakes, enough for about 3 people. These are great with fresh strawberries, blueberries or cream on top.
Refrigerator Pizza Dough
Our weekly whirlwind of school, work and chores leaves little time for the slow pleasures of assembling bread dough and letting it rise for hours. But we do love freshly baked pizza! This dough a make-ahead Sunday afternoon project that gets it second rising in the refrigerator. Then on Wednesday night you can roll it out and instantly create your own home made pizza masterpiece. All in less than 30 minutes.
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 package yeast (1/4 oz)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 Cups all-purpose white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
Extra flour for kneading
Corn meal
parchment paper
pizza stone for the oven
ON SUNDAY
In a heat proof measuring cup combine the water, yeast and sugar. Stir it well and wait for about 5 minutes. The surface of the mixture should begin to foam indicating that the yeast has been activated. In a separate large bowl mix flours and salt. Form a well in the middle of the flour mix and pour in the Olive Oil so that it resembles a small pool nestled in the center of the flour. Then slowly being to pour the water/yeast mix in as you gently stir the mixture to combine the flour with the water and oil. Don’t move to fast but stir steadily and strongly with a durable wooden spoon. If you have an electric mixer and a bread hook attachment you can also use this machine to mix the ingredients.
Once everything is combined you should have a silky dough ball. Turn the dough ball out of the bowl an onto a floured work surface for kneading. Knead gently for about 8 to 10 minutes, adding flour, working to make the dough supple and elastic. If you are using an electric mixer, let the bread hook do its work for about 8 minutes and be sure to add a bit of flour if needed. Return the completed dough to its original bowl and cover with a towel. Set the bowl in a warm place for an hour to rise.
When the rising of the dough is done you are ready to move it to the refrigerator. If you like thin crust pizza, break your dough into 3 separate balls and store each one in a plastic zip lock back. For a thicker crust pizza you can break this dough into 2 balls but be sure to use the larger size of bag. This allows room for a slow second rise of the dough in your refrigerator. The dough will last for up to a week when refrigerated. I usually write the date on a piece of masking tape to mark the bags of dough. Anything more than 7 days old gets tossed.
ON PIZZA NIGHT
When it is time to make pizza just remove the dough from the fridge and turn it out onto a floured working surface. Gently stretch out the dough into an 16 inch flat pizza shape, using extra flour to keep it from getting sticky. I don’t use a rolling pin because I believe it make the pizza tougher but you are free to use a rolling pin to roll out your crust if you like. When the dough has been shaped flat, tear off a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than the pizza and scatter corn meal across the surface of the paper. Roll up your pizza dough and then unroll it onto the corn meal covered parchment paper.
Unless you happen to own a traditional Italian wood-fried oven, you will need to preheat your kitchen oven to 525 degrees and be sure that your pizza stone is in the oven. The stone provides a heated surface to place the pizza on, crisping the underside wonderfully. Top your pizza with whatever sounds good to you and then place it in the oven on top of the pizza stone. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust edges are golden. Remove your pizza from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving.
One pizza serves 2-3 people.
Surf Style Fish Taco Sauce
If you make up this quick, easy sauce in the morning before you head out to surf the spices will relax in the refrigerator and flavor it more mellowly. But if you forget to make it in the morning you can always whip it out as the fish cooks and it’s still awesome on fish tacos.
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon dried, broken cilantro leaves or fresh
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and slowly mix into a smooth consistency. If you are making this up in the morning, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for the day. Unwrap when you are ready to eat and enjoy on top of fish tacos.
Essential Split Pea Soup
2 cups split peas
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot – diced
1 celery stalk – diced
1 onion – diced
2 cloves chopped garlic
Precooked spiraled sliced ham – chopped
Herbs & salt
Combine split peas, 8 cups of cold water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for one hour. Put olive oil in a separate pan and add onion & garlic. Then add the celery and carrots to the mix. Add vegetable mixture to the split pea soup with ham pieces and simmer for one hour. Spice with parsley, celery salt, salt and pepper.
Baked Macaroni
Pasta – box of large elbow macaroni
4-6 cups Cheddar Cheese (or any other cheese)
3 cups Milk
2 Eggs
Salt
Pepper
Optional – bread crumbs for top
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta; drain; line pan with layer of pasta; dust with salt & pepper; cover with layer of cheese; repeat twice. Whisk eggs and milk together and pour over macaroni. Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Optional – broil top.
Onion-free White Chicken Chili (Crock Pot)
¾ lb dried white Navy Beans, washed and picked over
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1 ½ teaspoon dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Thai Roasted Red Chili Paste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
2 cups low salt chicken stock
2 tablespoons white flour
½ cup sour cream
Fresh Cilantro
Place the White Beans into a large pot after washing them and picking out any blackened or damaged beans. Cover beans with 1 inch of water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 10 minutes and then drain the beans in a colander. As the beans are boiling cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes and place in crock pot. Add in the drained white beans, all spices, oil, chilies and chicken stock. Sift the flour into the crock pot and then use a large spoon to gently combine the ingredients together. When you are done stirring the liquid level should be at least 1 inch below the rim of the crock pot and should cover all the beans and chicken. If it does not cover properly, add a little more water. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir in sour cream just before serving and top with fresh cilantro leaves.
Serves 4 to 6
Chinese Marinated Tofu
This rich snack is invitingly salty and filled with good quality
protein.
1 block extra firm tofu
4 tablespoons good quality Sesame Oil
4 tablespoons Chinese style soy sauce
Remove the block of tofu from the packaging and place in a strainer to drain for at least an hour. If you want to remove even more water you can wrap the tofu in cheese cloth and place a heavy weight on top of it but this won’t be necessary with most of the extra form tofu brands out there. Just drain the tofu long enough to remove much of the water. Next cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes.
Place the Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce into a quart size zip lock back, seal the bag and shake to mix. Then open the bag, add in the tofu cubes and seal the bag again removing as much air as possible from the bag. Mix the tofu well with the marinade and then place the bag into your refrigerate for marinate over night. Serve the next day as an appetizer or add the marinated tofu cubes into a salad.
Serves 4