Janette's Orange Rosemary Roast Chicken

 Orange Rosemary Roast Chicken - from Southern Living 

Texted with Janette last night.  They love this dish.  Looks so yummy! 

Cheesy Ritzy Chicken

 Cheesy Ritzy Chicken - 

Another one from NYT Cooking.  I used what I have on hand - used a crushed garlic clove, and a little dried green onion - mixed in with the yogurt and egg white.  We get Levain crackers here which are identical to Ritz.   I made half recipe and I just approximate the amounts.  Here's the full recipe: 

1/4 sour cream

1 large egg white

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

1 sleeve Ritz crackers 

1 T olive oil 

2 oz coarsely grated cheddar cheese (about 1 C) 

1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove, pressed, added to sour cream mixture) 

1/2 tsp onion powder (or a shake of dried green onions into the sour cream mixture) 

Preheat oven at 450 F (lower in Japan - 200 C) 

Place rack over a sheet pan and grease with a little olive oil 

1.  Slice each chicken breast horizontally into two thin pieces. 

2.  In a bowl, whisk together egg white, sour cream, mustard, and dash of salt.   I added the garlic and onion here too. 

3.  In another bowl, crush the crackers (there will be some larger pieces and that's OK) and toss with olive oil and cheese.  If you haven't added the garlic and onion to the sour cream mixture, use the powdered versions and add to this cracker mixture. 

4.  Coat each piece in the sour cream mixture, followed by the crumb/cheese mixture.  Press mixture into chicken.  

5.  Bake about 10-15 minutes.  Cool slightly (5 min) so coating sets up a bit. 

YUM.  Good with broccoli and salad.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan

This is a recipe from Alyson Whatcott.  Missionaries seem to love this!

3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut up (I use bone in for best flavor)

3-4  heads broccoli florets, steamed til tender 

Mix sauce in a bowl:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp lemon juice (I use 1/2 a lemon)
1 tsp curry powder (or less)

Bread crumbs - dry or fresh
Parmesan cheese - grated or shredded

350 degrees
9"x13" pan

Layer: 

broccoli
1/2 sauce
chicken
remaining sauce
bread crumbs and parm


Cook for 30-40 minutes until browned and bubbly.  Serve with rice.

Calzones

Spinach Calzones 
Makes 6 

We've been making these since 1990!  They are always a big hit.  Serve with a big green salad!

THE DOUGH (from the old Moosewood Cookbook): 

Mix together: 

2 1/2 C flour 
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
Add: 
1 T honey
1 C warm water 

Mix and knead in stand mixer.  add up to 1/2 C more flour if needed to make a soft dough - slightly sticky but able to be handled. 

Cover and set dough aside to rise for about 1 hour. 

Meanwhile make THE FILLING: 

1 T butter
1/2 cup diced onion (or one small onion)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed 

1 C ricotta cheese
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese (or pizza blend)
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese 
salt and pepper
dash of nutmeg 

5 oz package of baby spinach (ex. "Fresh Express) 

1.  Saute the onion and garlic in butter until soft 
2.  In a bowl, combine the cheeses and spices.
3.  When the onions are soft, pour into the cheese mixture.
4.  In the same pan you used for the onions, wilt the spinach - this takes less than a minute. 
5.  Important:  Press the spinach between spoons in small batches, to squeeze out excess water. 
6.  Add the spinach to the cheese and onion mixture.  Mix well and adjust for salt and pepper. 

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Punch down dough, and divide into six portions.  Roll out one by one on a floured surface, using more flour as needed, and assemble the calzones.  Crimp edges firmly with a fork, and prick surface of each calzone several times with a fork. 

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  Serve with simple spaghetti sauce. 

Variation:  Replace the spinach with cooked Italian sausage; omit the nutmeg. 

Poppie's Spaghetti Sauce

Sweet Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
- Robert Nanto (Poppie) 

½ pound Sweet Italian Sausage broken up in small pieces.  

1 tbs olive oil.

½ Cup celery, ½ cup yellow Bell pepper, ½ cup orange Bell pepper, 1 small sweet onion, Cut up in ½ inch pieces.

1 small can of Basil, Garlic & Oregano Tomato Paste

1 14oz Can Petite cut Diced Tomatoes

1 14oz Can Diced Basil, Garlic & Oregano Tomatoes

2 tbs brown sugar. 

Spaghetti, rice or pasta.

In a 10” fry pan brown the Sausage in the Olive oil.  

When Sausage is about ¾ cooked add Onion and Celery.  When Onions are cooked clear,  add the Tomatoes and Tomato Paste.  Bring to a boil and add the Peppers.  Cook until peppers are half cooked. Add the Brown Sugar.  

Serve over Spaghetti, rice or pasta.    

The Best Mac&Cheese

Mac & Cheese

This is adapted from the Barefoot Contessa.  It is just as good as that old Martha Stewart recipe, and so much easier.

Salt
vegetable oil
1 pound pasta (Barilla cellentani, penne, or campanelle)
1 quart milk (4 cups, 2% or whole )
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 C flour
12 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (2 cups)

a scant 1 T salt
about 1/2 tsp freshly grated pepper
about 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

5 slices of  fresh white bread, torn into crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Drizzle some vegetable oil in a large pot of boiling water.  Add the pasta and cook til al dente.  Drain and set aside. 
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan.  Melt 6 T of the butter in the large Le Creuset pot, and add the flour.  Stir to "cook" the flour and butter for a few minutes.  Slowly add the warm milk while whisking.  Cook for a few minutes until thickened and smooth.  
4. Take pot off the heat, and add the cheeses, 1 T salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Stir until smooth. 
5. Add the cooked pasta, stir well, and then pour into a 9x13 pan. 
6. Drizzle the remaining 2T butter (melted) over the bread crumbs, and toss to coat. Sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes. 
7. ENJOY!  Great with plenty of steamed broccoli. 

Variation:  Before sprinkling the bread crumbs, lay thin slices of tomato over top of the mac and cheese.  Yum! 

Superfast Salisbury Steak

A real family favorite.  Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.

SUPERFAST SALISBURY STEAK, adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe

• 1 1/2 lean ground beef (or half ground turkey and half ground round)
• 1/3 C dry breadcrumbs
• 2 large egg whites 
• cooking spray
• 3/4 C water
• 3 T tomato paste
• 2 T cooking sherry
• 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce 
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed Campbell's French onion soup 

1. Combine first four ingredients; form into 6 patties.  Cook in a med-high skillet, browning well on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Remove patties from pan. 
2. In same skillet, stir in water and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.  Add patties back to the pan.  Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.  Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and patties are cooked through (about another 10 minutes).  

Curried Pork

Simple Curried Pork - adapted from Cooking Light years ago

Serves 3-4

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 C flour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, or thick pork chops, cut into small cubes 
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes - undrained

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Saute onion and bell pepper in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes; add mushrooms. 
3. Place vegetable mixture in a small casserole dish (9x9 pan works fine)
4. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl, add pork and toss to coat. Over medium-high heat in the same pan you used for the veggies, brown the meat on all sides (about 5 minutes).
5. Add pork to vegetable mixture.  Pour can of tomatoes (with juice) over top. 
6. COVER and bake for 1 hour.  
7. Meanwhile, make rice (For this dish I cook regular rice, not Japanese).  Serve curry over rice.