Coq au Vin 5.31.09

Coq au Vin

2 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 chicken, cut up
Salt & Pepper
1 onion, coarsley chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsley chopped (I used half red and half green)
1 cup mushrooms, cut into halves (if you must - I don't like 'em so I left them out!)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cups red wine (I used Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 cups chicken broth
Chopped Parsley
Hot cooked noodles

Cook the bacon in a Dutch Oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside. Season the chicken pieces with a bit of salt & pepper and add to the hot bacon fat, a few pieces at a time (don't crowd them!) and cook until well browned, turning occasionally.

Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 2 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm. Combine 1/4 cup flour with about 1/4 cup of the broth from the pot and stir until smooth. Whisk back in to the remaining broth in the pot and simmer about 5 minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Top with reserved bacon and parsley and serve over the hot noodles with a Green Salad on the side.

This was excellent and will definitely be made again many times! Original recipe is in the "Great American Brand Name Cookbook".

Omelets 5.30.09

For me, Ham, Swiss and Chives. John's had Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms and Ham.

Basic Three Egg Omelet

1 tbsp butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp half & half
Salt & Pepper to taste
Filling ingredients of your choice

Prepare your filling ingredients (for me, tonight I used about 2 tbsp minced ham, 1 slice of swiss cheese torn into small strips and 1 tsp chives). Beat the eggs, half & half, salt and pepper with a fork until thoroughly combined.

Melt the butter in a 6-inch omelet pan over medium heat until foamy, tilting the pan to completely coat the bottom with the butter. Pour in the eggs. As they cook, lift the edges with a spatula and tilt the skillet to allow the uncooked egg mixture to run to the bottom. When all is of an even consistency, place filling ingredients of your choice down the center of the eggs. Put a lid on the pan and cook a minute or so until filling is hot. Using a spatula, fold the omelet 1/3 of the way over the filling, then (using spatula and tilting the pan) flip it over the rest of the way and slide out onto a warm plate.

John's omelet (and the only way he'll eat one) is called a Denver Omelet. Same directions as above except use 4 eggs, and once you have the butter melted, cook about a half cup total of chopped onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and diced ham until hot. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and veggies and proceed as directed above.

Serve with hot, buttered toast and crisp bacon.

Lima Beans with Pork 5.29.09

For dinner tonight we are having an old stand-by, which I make at least once a month, in one form or another. Lima Beans are a favorite at my house, but this recipe is also good with any type of white, dried beans.

Lima Beans with Pork

1 lb bag dried lima beans, washed
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 handful shredded carrots, chopped
1 can Cream of Onion soup
1 large carton Chicken Broth
1 lb boneless pork chops, cut into cubes or strips
Water, if necessary
Pepper (I love McCormick's Smokehouse Black Pepper, so I'm using that this time)
Salt, if needed and to taste
Hot, cooked Buttered Rice

Combine the beans, onion, celery, carrots, Cream of Onion Soup and Chicken Broth in a crockpot and stir to combine. Add the pork, pepper and enough water (if necessary) to completely cover the ingredients by about 2 inches. Cook about 8 to 9 hours on low. Place a mound of hot, buttered rice in the middle of each serving plate and surround with the beans and pork. Very tasty garnished with chopped parsley and some crumbled, cooked bacon.

Note: This is even better if you brown the pork in a skillet before adding it to the crockpot. The chopped vegetables also add a layer of flavor if you take the time to saute them first. This isn't necessary, but I usually do this if I have more time (like today!)

Sausage Chicken Creole 5.27.09

This is very good! (From Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook)

Sausage-Chicken Creole

1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained and cut up (I used Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup hot water
2 tsp Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder (I used closer to 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp dried oregano (I used 1 tsp)
16 oz bag frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, corn & red peppers), thawed and drained
1 c (2.8 oz) can French's French Fried Onions, divided
4 chicken thighs, skinned (I used boneless, skinless, pre-cooked chicken tenderloins)
1/2 lb (I used a whole pound) of skinless smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized slices and cooked
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 376 degrees. In a 12x8-inch baking dish, combine tomatoes, rice, hot water, Hot Sauce, garlic powder and oregano. Bake, covered, 10 minutes. Stir vegetables and half the Fried Onions into rice mixture; top with chicken and cooked sausage. Bake, covered, 40 minutes or until chicken is done. Top chicken with remaining Fried Onions; bake, uncovered 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Yummy!

I couldn't find a bag of Broccoli, Corn & Red Peppers at my Publix, so I used a 12 oz bag of whole kernel corn with peppers and a half a bag of Broccoli with Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts.

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter and Accordian Potatoes 5.26.09

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter

2 New York Strip steaks, 1" thick
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Smokehouse Pepper
2 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp crumbled bleu cheese
1 tsp. fresh chives, chopped

Combine the softened butter, bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl and set aside.

Rub the steaks with olive oil. Season with Garlic Salt, Onion Powder and Smokehouse Pepper to taste. Cook on a hot grill (or grill pan) 5-7 minutes per side (or until medium rare). Top with a dollop of the bleu cheese butter and serve immediately.

Accordian Potatoes

2 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp butter, melted
Garlic Salt
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Slice the potatoes in thin slices, but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom. Place in a shallow baking dish. Brush with half the melted butter and sprinkle with Garlic Salt. Bake, uncovered, at 400^ for 30 minutes. Brush with remaining butter bake 20 minutes more or until done. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired and bake 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Steak, baked potatoes and a salad. My favorite meal!

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce 5.24.09

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

Season chicken with lemon pepper, salt, dill and garlic powder. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken breasts in skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken frequently, until brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Keep warm.

Return skillet to stove, increase heat to high. Whisk in whipping cream, whisking continuosly until reduced to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in capers. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. From allrecipes.com

I was disappointed in this dish, which I served over hot, cooked vermicelli. It was bland. I added a teaspoon of lemon juice and a handful of parmesan trying to give it some extra flavor, but that didn't help much.

Quick Oriental Pork & Peppers 5.22.09

Quick Oriental Pork & Peppers

1.25 lbs ground pork
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
1 onion, cut into wedges
1/2 each red, yellow and green bell peppers, cut into strips
4 oz Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup Lite Soy Sauce
1 tsp Five Spice Powder
8-oz can Pineapple Tidbits
3 tsp Chinese Hot Mustard
3 tsp Duck Sauce
1 tbsp crystallized ginger
2-3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Brown the pork in a wok with garlic powder and pepper to taste. Add the onions and peppers and cook 10 minutes stirring often. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until everything is thoroughly hot. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Quick, easy and tasty!