Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

This is an adaptation of an original recipe from allrecipes. It is hailed as my bride's favorite of all stews!

Ingredients-

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, mince (I use the jarred minced garlic)

1 lb of sweet potato, peeled & cubed

1 bell pepper, seeded and cubed (colored is best for presentation, but green will work too)

1 lb cooked chicken breast, cubed.  (left over chicken works well here, or a couple boneless breasts cubed and browned too.)

1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes. ( I like two myself)

2 cups of water

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin ( I make it a heaping teaspoon)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cocoa powder, unsweetened of course

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp red pepper flakes (heaping again)

1½ Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp water

1 cup frozen corn

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I prefer the dark in this stew)

What to do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Stir in onion and garlic cooking until the onion has softened and becomes translucent (5 minutes or so).  Stir in sweet potato, bell pepper, chicken, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water.  Season with salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Dissolve the flour with the 2 Tbsps of water and stir into the boiling stew - mix well.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mush (10-20 minutes) Stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom.

2. Once the potatoes are tender, stir in corn and kidney beans.  Cook a few more minutes until heated completely.  

ENJOY!!

Mediterranean Salmon

Although I don't know where I first heard it, I've often used the phrase, "Those that don't like seafood have never had seafood that is properly cooked." 

I know. I know.  That's my opinion, and I understand there are many people that just do not LIKE seafood.  Yet.. one still has to ask, "How was it prepared?"  😀😀


Growing up, salmon was not a highly requested meal.  It's probably because the only way I'd ever eaten salmon was from a can. (Think Pink)  My dad would eat it on crackers, and my mom would usually shape it into salmon patties, then fried them in a cast-iron skillet.  My brother and I would covered these "seafood burgers" with creamed corn. Although this wasn't too terrible, I don't consider it to be truly a seafood experience, and can understand why some people could say, salmon is not a favorite. 

However, I found that fresh salmon is a whole other story! 

I came across this recipe as I was looking for a healthy way to cook the salmon filets my sweet bride had purchased.  This base recipe comes from the American Heart Association's Low-Fat, Low Cholesterol cook book.  The original recipe calls for discarding the marinade and grilling the fish.  Although that is certainly a valid, tasty way to prepare it, I went with keeping the marinade and baking it along with the fish.

Marinade Ingredients - enough for 3 to 4 salmon filet (4oz each)

1 or 2  Roma or Campari tomato, chopped fine  (I used two small Romas)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh Rosemary, chopped  (or 1 tsp dried, crushed)
1 Tbsp fresh Sage, chopped  (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ tsp pepper  (or more to your liking)
¼ tsp kosher salt

Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork or spoon.

Prepare your salmon.  Rinse the fish, and pat dry with paper towels.   ** If my salmon has been frozen, I often press the filet, wrapped in the paper towel,
between my hands.

In a Ziploc bag, place your salmon, then pour in the marinade. Toss, and move the fish around to fully coat with the marinade, then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to a couple of hours.

When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425F on BAKE.  Spray a glass baking dish or pan with PAM or other non-stick spray.  Remove the salmon from the bag and place in the dish/pan, then pour the marinade over the tops of the salmon.

Ready for the oven!

Place in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet.  When the timer goes off, flip the oven from BAKE to BROIL.  Prop the oven door open so you can keep an eye on the fish.  The aroma could result in a bit of drool, use towels appropriately.

After a minute or two on broil, turn off the oven and remove the dish.  Serve with your favorite sides.

ENJOY!

Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories 144
Fat 4.5g
Cholesterol 65mg
Protein 25g

Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey Sausage

Split pea soup is a family favorite, and there are many variations that we enjoy.  Tonight we tried our first using smoked turkey sausage, and it too is a big hit.  It's a wonderful meal on a cold night with a bit of homemade bread.

Ingredients- 
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped to your liking
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into slices
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
1lb bag of dried split peas
12 oz. smoked turkey sausage, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
6 cups of chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp. pepper (or more to taste)
2 Bay leaves

Directions-
In a heavy bottomed pot, or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add sausage and brown for 5 minutes or so.  Remove sausage and set aside. 

Add onions, carrots, celery, and cook until tender - about 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, peas, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and bring to a boil over the medium high heat.  

Once boiling, add sausage and reduce heat to medium-low.  Allow soup to simmer, stirring occasionally until peas are tender. (40-50 minutes) 


Remove and discard bay leaves.  

Serve with bread or cornbread.

Enjoy!

Baked Fish A Simple Dish

       I don’t like fish, it tastes so…fishy!  I’d eat more fish, but it’s so hard to cook.   I like fish, but I have no idea how to cook it.   The only way I know how to cook fish is to fry it.    Anyone else hear these comments from time to time?

     Many, many moons ago, when I was a younger man, these were also comments I made.  The only fish I liked back then was those stick fish found in the frozen food section in a box called Gorton’s or Mrs. Paul’s.  That was then, this is now.  Now, I like fish.  I like fish cooked many different ways – except fried.  I also found that fish is not only easy to cook; it is also a quick fix for a week night meal.

     Tilapia is my inexpensive fish of choice for a quick, healthy weeknight meal.  I usually get mine from my favorite local grocer when it is on sale.  I purchase it by the case. Each filet is individually wrapped, which makes defrosting fast in a sink full of water.  Three filets in a sink of cold water will thaw out in about 12-15 minutes.

Here’s how simple it is.

Ingredients –

3 - Tilapia filets; thawed, rinsed and patted dry   
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Non-stick cooking spray

What to do-

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Drizzle a little olive oil in the dish, then add the filets.

 

Drizzle just a bit of oil on the fish and rub in to cover the fish.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle the Creole Seasoning to taste.  (This creole seasoning is not hot.  It may cause a slight tingling on the lips, but so will black pepper.  The creole seasoning is a perfect match for this light fish)

Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn the oven to BROIL and crack the oven door open.  Allow the fish to broil for about a minute or two, but keep a close eye on it.

 

Remove, serve and ENJOY!!

Simple “Egg-Drop” Soup

Day two home with the flu has not been fun at all.  I dread tomorrow even more as the sore muscles from all the coughing and hacking is going to be painful and the fever is draining all my energy.

This is my ‘fast-food’ for the flu menu.  My bride has been taking great care of me.  Yes, I am the typical male when sickness hits- I want my mommy and to be pampered.  I guess since I can’t have my mommy, my bride has stepped it up double time.  She and Natalie went to the school for the Book Fair Festivities and ate at the school.  She offered to bring me something back, but I said I’d fix something simple. 

This is simple and something I fix when it’s cold and want soup in a hurry.

Make sure you drink plenty of fluids too!

Ingredients-

2 15oz cans chicken broth (reduced sodium and 99% fat free)
2 large eggs, room temperature then beaten in a small bowl or glass
2 scallions or green onions, sliced (separate the white parts from the green)
1 cup or so of sliced mushrooms  (I like baby bellas for this)
1 Tbsp. of butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do-

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil.  When this is hot add mushrooms and white parts of the onions.  Cook these for about five minutes stirring often. 

Add the broth and stir well to get the good bits off the bottom.  Heat to a slow boil and then reduce heat to medium-low

Give the pot a good stir to get the mixture revolving well.  Slowly add the beaten eggs trying to keep the stream thin.  Once all the egg is added give the pot another vigorous stir and allow to cook for about a minute or two.

 

Get your bowl and spoon and dish up half the contents.  Top with a few baked goldfish crackers or oyster crackers.

Enjoy.

* I'm fortunate that my strain of flu is not the "other" brand going around our fair city.  I was blessed to not have the "stomach bug".  The high-fever, coughing, hacking, aches and pains, congestion and severe headache is the one I got.

If you have the "other" brand, you must force the fluids.  Just heat the chicken broth alone with some bay leaf in it and allow to simmer for ten minutes or so.  Then remove the bay leaf and drink the warm broth in small sips.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

This wonderful tasting dish cooks while you work!  It's a simple dish that is very versatile for many different meals.  Once this is cooked there are so many variables to making different meals. 

You could add some black beans and corn with a Tbsp. of cumin to make a Southwestern stew.

You could use it as a pulled BBQ-chicken sandwich meal.  I took the last bit of chicken and mixed with some leftover wild rice to school for lunch one day - YUM! So many ways to use this meat.


Ingredients -

5-6 boneless chicken breasts

16oz. jar of your favorite salsa  (My favorite brand is CHEAP- I use Harris Teeter or Southern Home brand and always stock up when it's on sale.)

What to do-

Prepare chicken by trimming away excess fat and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  *- I use the Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners, but you can spray the interior of the cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

Top the chicken with the salsa.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

When the cooking is complete use two forks to 'shred' the chicken and stir the mixture.


(Editor's note- 1/16/14: Add some black beans (rinsed and drained) to the salsa.)

You can now stuff burritos, or spread over a bed of tortilla chips and top with cheese and other toppings for some serious healthy nachos.

ENJOY!

Mushroom Steak and Rice Dinner

Tonight’s dinner was to be a large dinner salad topped with steak, but I was not feeling much like a salad when it was time to get started.  So it was time for a little “Improv in the Kitchen”. 

Since the steak (thin sliced top sirloin, or breakfast steaks) was already cut into strips and in the fridge marinating, I figured I would rustle up some stuff to go with it.  Hmmm… Opening the fridge to take out the steak I saw the container of baby bella mushrooms, and a half a bell pepper.  This is getting easy fast.

Threw it on the counter and went to the pantry.  I grabbed an onion out of the basket, a can of beef broth, and the rice canister.  I pulled out the rice cooker and got the grains to cooking, then started chopping the onion and pepper. 

In my large skillet, I added some olive oil over medium high heat and then added the veggies and mushrooms. (I love the smell of onions and peppers cooking!)  As the mushrooms started soaking up all the oil I added splashes of the beef broth as well as salt and pepper, and pepper, and pepper…

Once the onions were almost done, I made room in the skillet for the steak and all the marinade (Ken’s Steakhouse balsamic & onion marinade, olive oil, white wine, and soy sauce) and continued cooking.  I also added the rest of the beef broth.  Stir every so often.

Once the meat is cooked, turn down the temp to simmer and add a can of drained garden peas can (frozen is better, but I was out).  At this point I am waiting on the rice to finish.  Once the “warm” light is lit on the rice cooker, I mix a heaping tablespoon of cornstarch and a half cup of water in the leftover pea can. (using the pea can saves on dirty dishes!) Stir this concoction well and add to the skillet.  Now stir the entire mix thoroughly to blend.  This will thicken the beef broth to the desired consistency to make a great gravy.

Put your rice in the bowl and top with your Mushroom Steak mix.

Enjoy!

Hoppin' John - a South Carolina Tradition

South Carolina has a New Year’s Day tradition that goes back well over 160 years.  The first recorded recipe for Hoppin’ John came in 1847 in The Carolina Housewife, and most epicurean historians credit the Gullah folks in the low country for the dish.  There are many legends of how the dish got its name, but one of the strongest is that the dish was sold in the streets of Charles Towne by a crippled black man named Hoppin’ John.

Although there are many variations to the recipe, the original was rather simple – Ham hock, black eyed peas, rice, onion and greens.  My recipe is one of the slight variations, but not far from the original.

Ingredients:

1 pound bag black eyed peas, dried (rinse and soak for 6-8 hours prior)

2 small smoked ham hocks/ 1 large or ham bone with some meat still on it.

 (I also had some left over ham that I diced and added)

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 small bell pepper, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery finely chopped 

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 quart of chicken broth

3 cups of water

Fresh Kale, chopped fine

2 cups of rice

1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven/pot heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add garlic, onions, pepper, celery.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies are softened.  Stir often. 

Add chicken broth, water, seasonings, and ham /ham hocks and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 30-45 minutes.  Stir periodically.

After 30-45 minutes, remove ham hocks and pick meat off bones and chop fine – return to pot. Add chopped kale and soaked peas after draining and rinsing.  Cook for another 20-30 minutes, still covered.  Stir periodically.

Now add the two cups of rice, stirring to mix well in the pot.  (Note- you may have to add a little water) Cook for another 20-25 minutes stirring regularly.  (add water as needed)  Today I did not have to add any, but each batch is different. 

Serve in bowls with and garnish with chopped green onion.

Happy New Year and Enjoy!

Nana's Bean Soup (Family Recipe)

    A cold day and a bowl of hot soup are a great match.  Digging into my Nana’s recipe box once again, I found this family favorite.  I vaguely remember her making this soup as we rarely visited Pennsylvania during the cold months – I always stayed a few weeks during the summer!  I do however remember Nana teaching my mom this recipe.  It was one of my parent’s favorites.  Funny that as a child I didn’t care for soup so much but as an adult I absolutely love it, and these family recipes are the best.  Even though I didn’t eat the soup as a child, the smells that fill the entire house bring back all those memories of family togetherness….

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. dried Navy Beans (rinsed and soaked overnight)

1 small head of cabbage (finely chopped)

2 ham hocks or ham bone with some left over ham. (I usually use the latter)

3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 large onion, chopped

Water to cover ham bone or fill ⅔ pot 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.    Place ham bone/hocks in large soup pot add the water, set on stove on high. 

2.    Add beans, onion, potatoes, cabbage and salt and pepper to taste. 

3.    Bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for 3-4 hours.

4.    Stir occasionally, add water if necessary.

ENJOY!

Turkey Smoked Sausage and Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 3 egg whites, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 Smoked turkey sausage, cooked and sliced

Directions:

Mix sweet potatoes with applesauce, egg whites, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon into a shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish coated with non-stick spray. 

Arrange sausage slices on sweet potato mixture.

 Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Each serving is under 350 calories.  Serve with a side salad!

Enjoy!

Black Bean and Mushroom Chilaquiles

This vegetarian concoction comes from Crock*Pot Comfort Food Diet Recipes and is a perfect fit for my busy Meatless Monday supper.  I put it all together before heading off to work, and come home to a wonderful smelling house with supper ready to go!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 bell pepper (red or green), seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 package of fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1½ tsp.  Ground cumin

1½ tsp. Dried oregano

1 cup shredded cheese ( I use a low fat/reduced fat cheddar or Mexican blend)

4 green onions, sliced

3 small Italian tomatoes chopped

6 cups Baked Tortilla chips

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion, pepper and jalapeno.  Cook until softened, stirring occasionally. (about 3-5 minutes)

Transfer over to your crockpot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Add mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, cumin and oregano.  Mix all ingredients well in the crockpot.

Cover and cook on LOW for six hours, or HIGH for three hours.

When ready to eat remove lid, add cheese and stir.  Wait ten minutes then serve in bowls over the coarsely crushed tortilla chips.  Top with green onions, fresh chopped tomatoes and a touch more cheese.

Makes about 6 1½ cup servings

Calories: Just under 350 (includes chips)

ENJOY!

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

1½  lbs. Shrimp, medium-uncooked, peeled, and deveined
1 lb. box Rotini Pasta
1½ Onions chopped
Bell Pepper - 1 Medium chopped
Fat Free Cream Cheese, 4 oz
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
2 cups of Broccoli florets, Fresh,
2 tsp Kraft Parmesan cheese 100% Grated
Mushrooms, white, 1 cup sliced
2 tsp. Basil, dried
1 tsp. Oregano, dried
15oz can Chicken Broth

Directions

In a large pot cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta cooks:

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.
Add onions, peppers, mushrooms and cook until softened 3-5 minutes. (Add salt and pepper to taste)
Add chicken broth, oregano and basil - bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add shrimp and stir occasionally. 

Add cream cheese - continuously stirring in the cream cheese.

Reduce heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and broccoli.

Drain and rinse pasta, and add to skillet. Mix well.

Serve with a small salad and enjoy!

This dish is under 400 calories