Moroccan Tagine Chicken

This is a delicious North African chicken recipe that I tweaked to my liking.  Try it, you might like it!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 bell pepper
dried apricots (10-12)
prunes (6-8)
1/4 cup raisins
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp thyme

Directions:

Cut up all of the vegetables and add put into a Tagine or a baking dish.  Rub the spices all over the chicken and add to the vegetables.  Add a 1/2 cup of water and a couple tablespoons of live olive oil.  Bake at 350 for about an hour.  Serve with couscous or Italian polenta.  You will love this easy to make chicken recipe! So, transport yourself to the land of fez wearing snake charmers!

Pasta Bolognese

This is a delicious and classical Northern Italian sauce.  The distinct "pinkness" of this sauce comes from the cream and red wine, which sets it apart from the traditional "red" sauce from Southern Italy.  I know you will come to enjoy this sauce as much as I have!

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean chopped beef
2 carrots finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1 small onion
1 small package of mushrooms (optional)
1 large can tomato puree
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp dried Italian/Greek oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
pinch of nutmeg
1 tblspn of finely chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms in a large pan.  Once the onions become translucent, add the hamburger meat.  Brown the meat and add the wine, tomato puree, tomato paste and simmer for about an hour.  Add the heavy cream and let simmer another 1/2 to 45 minutes.  Serve over type of pasta.  Add a nice salad, some steamed vegetables and a glass of red wine for a delightful, easy and enjoyable dinner!

Buon Appetito

Betania's Lasagna

Betania's Lasagna

This is a very basic Lasagna.  You can add Italian Sausage or meatballs to your sauce and to the Lasagna.  This is one of my favorites!  It also has a "special" name!

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Lasagna noodles

Basic Tomato Sauce (recipe on blog)

1 Large container of Ricotta Cheese (DO NOT USE COTTAGE CHEESE!!)

1 Large container of fresh Mozzarella cheese (packed in water)

1 egg

1 Tablespoon of chopped Parsley

2 Cups Basic Bechamel Sauce

Romano or Parmesan Cheese

Boil the noodles until "al dente," drain well but do not rinse.  Mix the Ricotta Cheese with 1 egg, add parsley.

Add a layer of Basic Tomato Sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.  Layer the noodles.  Spread a layer of Ricotta Cheese mix onto the noodles.  Add 1/3 of the Bechamel Sauce, add Tomato Sauce, add 1/2 of the Mozzarella, add a handful of Parmesan or Romano Cheese.  Continue layering all of the ingredients are used. Put in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Watch carefully and make sure the cheese on the top does not burn.

Buon Appetito!

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 box of Elbow macaroni
4 tblspns of butter
4 tblspns of flour
3 1/2 cups of milk of Half and Half
5 1/2-6 cups of Cheddar cheese
1 cup of Panko crumbs.

Boil 1 box of Elbow Macaroni to the "al dente" state.  Rinse in cold water and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter, add 4 tablespoons of flour and cook until golden brown, then add 3 1/2 cups of milk or Half and Half, stir until it thickens, then add 5-5 1/2 cups of Cheddar or a mixture of Cheddar and Fontina cheese.  In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg, add some of the cheese mixture into the egg to temper then add the to the milk/cheese mixture.  Stir well and add the macaroni.  Stir well and put into a greased baking dish.  Add Panko crumb topping and some cheese to the top and bake for about 35-40 minutes.  It is creamy and delicious!

Panko crumb mixture:  melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add to 1 cup of Panko crumbs.

I add fresh bacon bits and sauteed onions on the top when served.

This is always a crowd pleaser. ENJOY!

Stephanie's Insalata Italiana!

Ingredients:

Butter lettuce

Red leaf lettuce

Romaine lettuce

1/2 finely sliced red onion

3 roughly chopped green onions

2 diced ripe tomatoes

1/2 diced cucumber

1/2 cup blackberries

1 cup mandarin orange slices

1/2 cup of feta or blue cheese

Olive oil

Red wine or Balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon oregano

Pinch of garlic salt and pepper

Mix a combination of lettuce ( as desired), add all other ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix about 1/4 cup of Olive oil with 2 tablespoons of vinegar (add more or less oil and/or figure for your own taste),  garlic salt, oregano and pepper.  Mix well and pour over salad.

Add some roasted chicken for a delicious protein rich meal!

Add some Tuna or freshly cooked Salmon and make into a meal!

NOTE:  This is dedicated to Stephanie who fell in love with this salad at an office 

pot-luck.  She even texted me on a weekend to get the recipe!  So, Stephanie----this is for you!!

Wild Salmon vs Farm Raised Salmon

Although Farm Raised Salmon is cheaper, it is not as healthy!  Farm Raised Salmon is injected with a dye to give it the orange-red color.  Wild Salmon, on the other hand, is naturally red and much better for you.  Although Farm Raised Salmon contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids, you get more of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Wild Salmon.  So, shell out the extra cash and eat the good stuff!

Eat your Wild Salmon!

Paulette's Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Chicken (cut up)

1/2 cube of butter

1/4 tablespoon fresh or dried thyme

1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup wine or brandy

Salt and pepper to taste

4-5 medium red potatoes

In a small pan, melt the butter and add the wine and herbs.  Place the potatoes around the chicken, add the butter/wine mixture, cover and bake at 350 for 1/2 hour, then uncover and bake for about an additional 1/2 hour.  Serve with green beans and a salad for a simple, yet delicious dinner!

Buon Appetito!

NOTE:  This is always a favorite and very easy to make.  It is a nice classic Northern Italian dish that I learned from a friend of the family who was from Southern France.   This is memory of Paulette Mastro.

Basic Armenian Pilaf


Saute 1/4 cup of vermicelli noodles in butter and/or olive oil.  Add 1 cup of rice and stir, making sure to coat the rice with the butter/olive oil.  Add 2 cups of cold water and 1 chicken bouillon cube. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.


You can replace the chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon and you can replace the water with chicken broth or vegetable broth.


You can also substitute the rice with #4 bulgar (cracked wheat).  This makes a delicious and very healthy rice substitute that I'm sure you will enjoy!




NOTE:  Growing up in Fresno, I learned how to cook this traditional Armenian rice dish from an old neighbor lady.  She cooked for the Armenian church and sometimes I would help her.  Fresno is home to a very large population of Armenians.  In case you don't know, Armenians are a people who come from the Caucasus Mountains bordering Eastern Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.  

White Trash Enchiladas

This is an easy, yet delicious way to enjoy enchiladas ....you will love it!

Ingredients:

1 dozen corn tortillas

1 small can of jalapeños

1 roasted deboned chicken (you can buy it already roasted and save time).

1 lrg can of either green enchilada sauce or red enchilada sauce

Grated Mexican cheese or cheddar cheese

Bechamel sauce (for enchilada verde only)

Green Sauce Enchiladas

Pour some green sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish.  Add a layer of tortillas (set them in the sauce and then turn over so that the sauce covers both sides of the tortilla),  add a layer of chicken, pour about half of the Béchamel sauce (add the jalapeños to the sauce) over the chicken, then pour about half of the green sauce over the chicken, add a layer of grated Mexican or Cheddar Cheese.  Continue to layer with tortillas, sauces and cheese.  Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Red Sauce Enchiladas

Follow the recipe above...EXCEPT, replace the green sauce with red enchilada sauce and DO NOT add the Béchamel.  You can also use, beef, pork or any other meat if you like.

Both of these a great with rice and beans!  Viva Mexico!!


NOTE:  This is a very popular brunch dish.  I have made it several times for brunch and everyone begins singing "La Vida Loca" after their first bite!  Will you be singing "La Vida Loca?"

Mom's Italian Wine Cake

This is a simple, not too sweet dessert.  It can be served alone or topped with seasonal fruit, such as berries or peaches!

Ingredients:

1 package of yellow cake mix

1 package of instant vanilla pudding

4 large eggs

3/4 cup cooking oil (NOT olive oil)

3/4 cup Sherry wine (drinking NOT cooking)

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl and pout into a greased and flowered Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 until a toothpick comes out clean (40 minutes or so).

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from pan and sprinkle with powder sugar.  You can enjoy this cake with coffee or nice sip of aged Sherry!

Enjoy!!


NOTE:  This is always a hit!  You won't get drunk, but you will be drunk with happiness when you take your first bite!  

Anna's Won Ton Raviolis

This recipe was inspired by Anna (you know who you are) because she will use Won-Ton wrappers before making pasta!

Ingredients:

2 bone-in chicken breasts

1 small frozen package of spinach - or 1 bunch of fresh cooked spinach

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (the good stuff, not the stuff from a can)!

salt and pepper to taste

1 package of Won-Ton Wrappers

Bake or broil chicken breasts, let cool and take off of the bone and shred.  If you have an old fashioned grinder....great....if not, you will need a food processor.

Grinder method:  grind the chicken and spinach together, alternating between the 2 when feeding the grinder.  The chicken and the spinach should be pretty well mixed.

Food processor method:  Mix the chicken and spinach together and pulse until well mixed.  You may need to add a little to keep if somewhat wet.  It hold together when you squeeze the mixture.

If the mixture does not stay together when you squeeze it, add an egg to help bind the mixture.

Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper to the mixture.

Mix 1 egg with water to use as a sealer for the Won-Ton wrappers.

Take a Won-Ton wrapper and add a small spoonful of mixture to the center of the Won-Ton, dip your finger in the egg mixture and add it to all of the edges.  Place another Won-Ton wrapper on top and squeeze around the side to hold the "ravioli" together.  Make sure they are sealed very well---or else you will have a mess!

Place on a lightly floured cookie sheet until you are ready to boil.  Add to boiling salted water.  When they are done, they will float on the top.  Place in a bowl and add my famous sauce recipe to the ravioli for a delicious meal!!

Serve with a nice green salad and a nice glass of light red wine.

Buon Appetito!