Chicken Salad with Herb Mayonaisse

This chicken salad takes on extra fresh flavor with roasted chicken breasts, a little lemon, and fresh chopped herbs. Serve this lively chicken salad in sandwiches or in lettuce cups for a delicious lunch or light supper.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 chicken breast halves, boneless, skin removed
salt and pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dillweed or about 1/4 teaspoons dried dillweed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or basil, or about 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Line a baking pan with nonstick foil. Heat oven to 400°.
 Arrange chicken on the baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from the oven, let cool, and chop.
 Combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with the herbs and lemon juice. Mix with the chopped chicken and add more mayonnaise, as needed, to taste. Stir in salt and pepper, to taste.

 Serve in sandwiches or on lettuce with avocado slices or sliced tomatoes.
Serves 4 to 6.

Chicken Burger with Tropical Fruit Salsa

There’s no need to give up burgers just because you’re on a heart-smart diet. These juicy chicken burgers, topped with a Caribbean-inspired tropical fruit salsa, are absolutely delicious. Complete the meal with oven-baked chips.

 

Ingredients:

1 small pineapple
 1 small mango, peeled and finely chopped
 1 small red onion, finely chopped
 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
 1 teaspoon canola oil
 500 g ground chicken
 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and shredded
 1⁄4 cup dry breadcrumbs
 4 thin slices reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
 4 hamburger buns or soft rolls, preferably whole wheat, split
 4 lettuce leaves

Peel, core, slice and chop the pineapple (you need 2 cups) and place in a bowl. Mix in the mango, onion, coriander, lemon juice and oil. Cover and set aside.
Mix the chicken, apple and breadcrumbs in another bowl until blended. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 1 cm thick. Place the chicken burgers on a plate, cover, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the broiler or barbecue. Cook the chicken burgers until browned and cooked through.
For each chicken burger, place a slice of cheese on the bottom of a hamburger bun, cover with lettuce, add a patty, top with about 1⁄2 cup tropical fruit salsa, and crown with the top of the bun.
 

Preparation time: 20 mins
 Cooking time 15 mins, plus 20 mins chilling
 Serves 4

Tip: To help patties keep their shape during cooking, mix and shape them from cold meat, then firm them up by chilling in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 

 Source: Cook Smart for a Healthy Heart, Reader's Digest Canada

Stir-Fried Honey Ginger Chicken

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
Cooked rice, for serving
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Method:

In a small bowl, stir together honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add chicken and stir until opaque but not cooked through, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil, ginger, and garlic to skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add peppers and stir 2 minutes. Add soy mixture and bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet and toss until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro.

Parmesan Chicken Sticks

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (3 to 4)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Bamboo skewers (6 to 10 inches long) or ice-cream sticks

Method:

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice each diagonally into 4 or 5 large strips.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water on a second plate. Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan on a third plate. Dredge the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and roll in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook the chicken strips on medium-low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Don't crowd the pan. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Serve each strip on a skewer or stick.
 You can keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a preheated 200 degree F oven.

Jalapeno Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients:

Bread crumbs, dry, grated, plain, .25 cup
Onion powder, .25 tsp
Jalapeno Peppers, .25
Savory dash
Mozzarella Cheese 1 oz
Romano Cheese, 1 oz
Pepper, black, 1 dash
Water, tap, 1 fl oz
Salt, 1 dash
Margarine, soft, 1 tsp
Tilapia filet, 8 oz

Take all ingredients minus the tilapia and mix in a bowl until smooth. Place tilapia in a baking sheet, apply mixture to top of tilapia spreading thinly and evenly. Bake at 400f for 16 minutes.

Number of Servings: 2

Minutes to Prepare: 5
Minutes to Cook: 16

How to make Cheese at Home in 10 simple steps

You can make cheese using ingredients and equipment found in most kitchens. This boiled milk, acid-precipitated cheese is known as paneer. If made with carabao milk, it's kesong puti. Most cheese involves bacterial acidification, rennet coagulation, and pressing.

Ingredients:

2 cups of milk(powder or cows milk)
10 tsps vinegar or lemon juices
Salt
Margarine or butter
Sugar

Method:

1. Place the two cups of milk in the saucepan with pepper, margarine, sugar and then slowly bringing the milk to a boil while stirring constantly. It is very important to constantly stir the milk or it will burn

2. Turn the burner off once the milk is boiling, but leave the saucepan on the element or gas grate.

3. Add 10 teaspoons vinegar/lemon juice to the boiling milk, at which point the milk should turn into curds and whey. Curds are the solid part, whey is the liquid part

4. Stir well with spoon and let it sit on the element for 5-10 minutes.

5. Pass the curds and whey through cheesecloth or a handkerchief to separate the curds from the whey. The curds will be the cheese.

6. Drain and press the cheese using the cloth to get most of the moisture out

7. Open the cloth and add a pinch of salt if desired.

8. Mix the cheese and salt and then press again to remove any extra moisture

9. Put the cheese in a mold or just leave it in a ball type form. Leave it in ball form for putting in fresh green salads and in a mold to make sliced cheese for example.If you put it in a mold do it fast so that the cheese will mold easier otherwise it will harden and not mold as easily.

10. Refrigerate

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse

Ingredients:

100g good quality chocolate
50ml milk
4/5 cup (200ml) thickened cream
100g strawberries, sliced

Method:

Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering hot water. Heat the milk until boiling then whisk in melted chocolate. Leave to cool.
 Whip 3/4 of the cream until soft peak stage then fold into cooled chocolate.
 Reserve 6 strawberry slices for decoration, place remainder into 6 serving ramekins or small bowls. Evenly spoon in the chocolate mixture. Chill until firm; about 2 hours.
Whip remaining cream and use to decorate top of dessert with remaining sliced strawberries.

Mustard Chicken Salad (Very Healthy & Tasty)

Ingredients

 2 whole (4 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
 Good olive oil
 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 2 cups broccoli florets
 1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise
 2 tablespoons dry white wine
 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken in large bite-size pieces.

 Meanwhile, add the broccoli florets to a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 1 minute, until crisp tender, drain, and place into a bowl of ice water until cool. This will stop the cooking and set the bright green color.

For the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, wine, mustards, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add enough sauce to the warm chicken to moisten well. Add the tarragon, broccoli, and tomatoes and mix gently to combine. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Apple Juice with ice Cream

Ingredients:

Apple - 2nos
Milk - 1/4glass
Water - 1/2glass
Sugar - as required
Ice cream - 2tsp

Method:

Cut the apple into small pieces and put them in blender or mixer 
Add milk, sugar and blend them finely and serve with icecream

Mughlai Lamb Curry

Ingredients
1/2 cup
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely ground
..........Click the Edit tab and select this entry to learn more.
1 cup (or store-bought)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 bay leaves
4 whole dried red chili peppers , such as cilie de arbol
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large onion , finely chopped
1 1/2 to 2 pound boneless leg of lamb or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
..........Click the Edit tab and select this entry to learn more.
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic (large), minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons , some reserved for garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon salt , or to taste
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds
3 cups water

Method:

1. Prepare the cashew paste, cumin seeds, and coconut milk. Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the bay leaves and red chili peppers, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds, they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly, add the onion and cook over medium heat until well-browned, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the meat, ginger, garlic, coriander, dry-roasted cumin, garam masala nutmeg, mace, and salt, and cook the meat, stirring, over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes and then over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes.

3. Mix in the cashew paste and cardamom seeds and stir another 5 minutes. Then add half the coconut milk and the water and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, the sauce is thick and the oil separates to the sides, 50 to 60 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the reserved garam masala on top, and serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Greek Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 large potatoes, peeled, cut into large wedges
(about 6-7 wedges per potato)

4 garlic cloves, minced
(more garlic is a good thing, less garlic is a no-no for this recipe)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup water 

1 tablespoon dried oregano 
(get the Mediterranean, it's the best!)

1 lemon, juiced

sea salt 

fresh coarse ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 420°F A reviewer has suggested spraying the baking pan with Pam - that sounds like a great idea!

 Put all the ingredients into a baking pan large enough to hold them.

 Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

 Make sure your hands are very clean and put them in the pan and give everything a toss to distribute.

 The garlic will drop into the water/oil solution but its flavour will permeate the potatoes, and this way, it won't burn.

 Bake for 40 minutes.

 When a nice golden-brown crust has formed on the potatoes, give them a stir to bring the white underside up, season lightly with a bit more sea salt and pepper and just a light sprinkling of oregano.

 Add 1/2 cup more water if pan appears to be getting dry, and pop back into oven to brown other side of potatoes.

  This will take about another 40 minutes

 Do not be afraid of overcooking the potatoes- they will be delicious.

 Note: I often melt a bouillon cube in the water; if you do, make sure to cut back some on the salt.

Mozzarella Chicken

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken (6)
2 eggs
3/4 c.bread crumbs
1/2 c. oil
2 c. tomato sauce
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese

Method
Beat eggs slightly. Dip chicken into eggs, roll in bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil until golden; drain. Arrange chicken in shallow pan. In saucepan heat tomato sauce and garlic powder; bring to boil. Add butter, simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes longer (6 servings).

Sweet & Salty Chicken

This sweet and salty sauce with dried cherries and port is wonderful over succulent chicken thighs. It's also great with lean pork or chicken breast. Substitute cranberry juice for the port if you prefer. Serve with farro tossed with chopped pistachios and fresh herbs and steamed green beans

4 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minute

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup port, or cranberry juice cocktail, divided (see Ingredient Note)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dried cherries, or dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced pitted green olives
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation
Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place flour in a shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Measure out 4 teaspoons of the flour to a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup port (or cranberry juice cocktail) until smooth (discard the remaining flour).
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and garlic to the pan; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour-port mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup port (or juice), broth, dried cherries (or dried cranberries), olives, vinegar, brown sugar and oregano. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 4 to 6 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the sauce.
Tips & Notes
Ingredient note: Port is a fortified wine that provides an immediate depth of flavor in cooking. Look for it at a liquor store or in the wine section of the supermarket.
Nutrition

Per serving: 368 calories; 15 g fat ( 3 g sat , 8 g mono ); 86 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 3 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 1 g fiber; 367 mg sodium; 235 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (24% daily value).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (other), 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Indian Style Lamb Curry

Ingredients:

6 tbsp oil
1 med onion chopped coarsely
1 whole bulb garlic (approx 15 cloves) minced
3 tsp salt (more if desired, but start with this)
3 tsp tumeric powder (yellow curry powder)
6 tsp Masala powder (allspice)
1 bunch cilantro
fresh chilies (start with little bit, add to desired heat)
3 med potatoes, peeled and quartered
the leaves from 1 stem of curry leaves (optional)
4 cups water

Method:

You may have to find an East Indian store and show them this recipe for them to know what you need.

In a large cooking pot on medium/high heat, add the oil, and heat until oil is hot, add onions, and fry until light brown.

Stir in tumeric powder, and 30 secs later add the garlic and chilies. Mix for about 1 min, add the curry leaves (make sure no stems), and stir in the lamb.

Add the Masala powder and salt and mix. Cook covered for about 5 mins.

Add the water, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, and cook another 20 minutes covered.

Check to see if meat is cooked, potatoes are softened, and taste for salt, and chilies, and sauce has thickened.

If needed, cook longer until the desired result.

Garnish with cilantro, serve over rice (basmati is best) and that's it.

This is the basic recipe, and measurements are also approximate, if the sauce thickens too fast during cooking then add water till the desired result.

The sauce, when it's finished should be the same thickness as pancake batter, or clam chowder.

Baked Onion Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (white or orange)
1 cup mayonnaise

Method:

Combine all 3 ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with crackers, Doritos, chips, etc. Recipe may be doubled

Variations: Add 1 or more of the following:

1 tablespoon onion soup mix
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1-2 finely minced chipotle or jalapeno peppers
pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)

Apple Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Base:

1/2 pound (250 grams) butter
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 cups flour

Cheese Mixture:

1/2 pound (250 grams) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup sour cream
8 - 10 Cortland or Spy apples, peeled, thinly sliced
Cinammon sugar

Method:

To make pastry, blend butter, sugar, salt and vanilla then egg and flour to form a soft dough. Refrigerate 30 minutes then pat over bottom and up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Chill.

To make cheese mixture, cream cheese with sugar, eggs, whipping cream and sour cream.

Peel and slice apples and arrange in prepared shell. Apple layers should extend almost to top of pastry. Pour cheese mixture over. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Place on baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until golden brown on top and cheese mixture is set, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Makes 12-16 servings

How to make Buttermilk Biscuits at home

Ingredients:

2 c. sifted flour (bread flour is best)
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/3 c. Crisco
1 c. buttermilk

Method:

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender, it will be coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk all at once and stir until the dough follows the fork around the bowl. Turn out and knead only 5 to 6 times. (Too much handling makes them tough.) Roll to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with round cookie cutter or glass (cup) dipped in flour. Place in greased pan. Brush gently with melted butter. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. When baked, brush again with melted butter

How to make your own Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
1 small bay leaf
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
4 cloves garlic

Method:

In saucepan combine all ingredients. Simmer gently for fifteen minutes, stirring often.

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOW BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix
1 c. chopped pecans
15 (approx.) lg. marshmallows
1 lb. milk chocolate

Method:

I use either the milk chocolate blocks of candy or 2 (8 ounce) bars of Hershey's milk chocolate candy.

Make cake-like brownies as per recipe on brownie box. Bake for about 25 minutes (until brownies are almost done), remove from oven to add the marshmallows, then put back in oven until the marshmallows soften so you can spread over the brownies.

While the marshmallow-covered brownies are cooling, melt the chocolate candy very slow, stirring almost constantly to keep from burning. When the candy has completely melted, pour over the marshmallows. After the candy has hardened, cut into squares for your delicious chocolate-covered marshmallow brownies.

WHOLE MEAL CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:

2 to 3 cups chicken breast, cooked
1 (15 oz.) can chunk pineapple, drained
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin orange sections, drained
1/2 c. sliced pitted ripe olives
1/2 c. chopped sweet green pepper
2 tbsp. grated onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 (5 oz.) can chow mein noodles
Chopped pecans, (optional)

Method:

Simmer (don't boil) boneless, skinless chicken breast in a little chicken broth or water for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender. Alternatively, leftover chicken may be put to good use in this dish.

In a large bowl combine chicken, pineapple, celery, oranges, olives, bell pepper, and onion. Blend mayonnaise and mustard. Toss gently with chicken. Cover and chill for several hours.

Just prior to serving, stir in chow mein noodles.

Arrange salad on a lettuce-lined salad plate.

Serve with crackers or crust bread.

This salad is a good candidate for serving in hollowed-out artisan bread rounds.