MERRY CHRISTMAS

Chicken Corn Chowder

Here is a quick recipe for a cold night like this when you're just too tired and too busy to do anything else.


This 5-star corn chowder can be on your table in less than 30 minutes for dinner tonight thanks to convience items like rotisserie chicken and frozen corn.


INGREDIENTS:


2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breast halves)

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalapeño; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 5 minutes).

There...How's That?  Quick Huh?   Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!

Shrimp And Grits-Louisiana Style

If you follow my other blog, Escapades....Then you know that ficticious charactor ,Olivia Bennett-Alexander

The Philadelphia Attorney who bares an uncanny resemblance to another ficticious Olivia... recently prepared this dish of Louisiana styled Shrimp and Grits for her Louisiana born husband, Private Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander..

and others in their Duplex ...and it was a big hit..

(See ESCAPADES -"Taking The Bait" , December 14, 2016)

We thought we would share that recipe that Donnie Ray's sister, Nell taught her how to prepare when they were last in New Orleans...

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 dozen 16-20 shrimp grilled
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 3/4 cup chopped Andouille Sausage
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups shrimp stock
• 1 cup. heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• Salt & black pepper to taste

GRITS INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups yellow corn grits
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups 1/4 water
• 1/2 tbs. Salt
• 4 tbs. Butter
• 1/4 lbs. of shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
In stock pot; combine milk, water, and salt. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Add grits, bring it to low boil. Cover and cook 14 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese.
Arrange grits in middle of a shallow bowl. Arrange 6 shrimp tails side up around grits, add cream sauce around shrimp.
Makes 6 servings.

There it is...Enjoy...

Boneless Leg Of Lamb

Ahhh time for that other meat....Not Turkey, Not Chicken , Not Pork and Not Steak...but Lamb....


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs lamb
• olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Generously rub leg of lamb with olive oil.
2. Season lamb with all the ingredients listed, making sure that they are evenly distributed.
3. Place leg of lamb on a rack in a roasting pan.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake leg of lamb uncovered for 30 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 120 to 130 degrees at the thickest point.

Pretty simple....If done right, the meat is so good ,it falls off the bone... Go For it my friends!

Beef Tostados

Ahhh,I'm back with another tasty-Post Thanksgiving Dish...Beef Tostados....Anyone who knows me,knows I love Beef...So why wouldn't I love this?

This beef dish is a cinch regardless of how much beef cred you have. Feel free to make it your own by adding your preferred toppings and, if you're up for the challenge, add a drizzle of hot sauce to finish.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 corn tortillas
• Corn or peanut oil for frying tortillas
• 2 cups refried beans
• 1 ½ pounds Mexican shredded beef,
• 1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese
• ½ cup enchilada sauce
  
• 1 avocado, pitted and skinned and cut into 12 slices
• Toppings such as shredded lettuce, chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped red onions, sour cream, taco sauce, etc

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in medium wok or heavy bottomed pan to 375 degrees. Use candy thermometer.
2. Drop a single corn tortilla in and fry on both sides until crispy. Repeat for remaining pieces placing them on serving dishes.
3. Heat refried beans on stove or in microwave until hot and spread evenly on top of each fried corn tortilla. Heat pulled beef on stove or in microwave until hot and spread evenly on beans. Divide shredded cheese between the four servings. Heat enchilada sauce on stove or in microwave and divided between four servings. Slice and divide the avocado between the four servings then top each with topping of choice such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped red onion, sour cream, taco sauce, etc

 Note: All ingredients (such as the shredded beef, refried beans and enchilada sauce)should be made in advance and heated before serving. The prep and cooking time noted in this recipe does not include the times to prepare each basic ingredient

Refried Beans-

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ pound pancetta, diced into small pieces
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• ¼ cup beef stock
• 2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon Rocket Fuel, or your favorite hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook pancetta in canola oil. Cook pancetta until crisp.
2. Add onion and sauté 3-5 minutes until onions become tender.
3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
   Coupons
4. Add in all other ingredients and cook five minutes.
5. Puree half the mixture with an emulsion blender and cook 2 more minutes.

Enchilada Sauce:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  Coupons
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon (Rocket Fuel) or your favorite hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sauté onions in oil over medium heat for 4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add tomato paste and sauté for an additional minute. Add all other ingredients and bring to a simmer and cook for about five minutes to blend flavors.
2. With an emulsion blender or in a blender, puree until smooth.

Shredded Beef

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ large onion peeled and cut into large slices
• ½ large red bell pepper seeded and cut into large slices
  Coupons
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar or honey
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon Rocket Fuel, or your favorite hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 ½ pounds chuck roast
• 1 cup beef stock

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a 9x13-inch glass baking dish or roasting pan, lay sliced onions and peppers on bottom.
3. Mix tomato paste, Agave or honey, all the dried spices, Rocket Fuel and the chili sauce. Smear all over beef and set beef over peppers and onions. Pour the beef stock around the sides of the beef.
4. Cover with parchment paper and then foil, sealing tight.
5. Roast in over for three hours or until fork tender. Check after three hours and cook for another 30 minutes if not falling apart tender.
6. With two forks, shred meat and mix with all liquid, cooked onions and cooked peppers.
7. Use as a filling for a variety of Mexican or Southwestern-inspired dishes.

See I helped you out...I didn't initially plan to write all three recipes...but then I said..That's not fair....

ENJOY!  Eat well my friends...!

Chase this down with cold water!

Lemon Chicken in a Skillet

It's the first of December...Christmas Shopping has begun...You certainly feel like fixing something easy, but still good...Well it don't get much easier, or more satisfying: A complete dinner in one pan in half an hour. Lemon brightens this cozy winter meal.

Yield:

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 3/4 cup potato mixture)

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces baby red potatoes, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 3/4-inch thickness

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 thyme sprigs

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup whole milk

5 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

8 very thin lemon slices

1 (8-ounce) package trimmed haricots verts (French green beans)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and thyme sprigs to pan; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan.
4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add potatoes, cut sides down; mushrooms; and 1 tablespoon thyme; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring once. Combine milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add remaining salt, remaining pepper, flour mixture, stock, lemon, and beans to pan; simmer 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with a nice Red Wine-

ENJOY...Eat and Drink Well My Friends!