by jphilo | Mar 5, 2014 | Recipes
Every month, a newsletter from The Baker’s Pantry* arrives in my inbox. Their January newsletter featured the recipe for “The World’s Best Chicken.” Quite a claim, and I was a bit skeptical. But, the dish was dairy-free and combined some interesting ingredients, so I gave it a try.
The man of steel and I didn’t think it quite lived up to it’s name, though it was very good. Good enough to try again this summer. Maybe fresh rosemary from my herb garden instead of dried tarragon (I was out of rosemary) will elevate the dish to “World’s Best Chicken” status. Stay tuned for that announcement come June or July!
Baked Chicken with Mustard and Maple Syrup
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, syrup, and vinegar.
Place chicken breasts into a baking dish. Season with salt & lots of pepper. Pour mustard mixture over chicken. Make sure each breast is coated. Add more pepper if you like.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Season with fresh rosemary and serve.
I halved amounts make the dish for two. The recipe above is the halved recipe.
*The Baker’s Pantry is an old-fashioned family-owned country store in Dallas Center, Iowa. It sells Amish, organic, and other premium quality foods purchased in bulk and repackaged. I stop by every few months to stock up on coarse ground wheat flour, bulk aluminum-free baking powder, and bulk and whole spices I can’t find anywhere else.
by jphilo | Mar 20, 2013 | Recipes
Driving on our gravel road has been an adventure late, thanks to the ruts created by the double whammy of a winter snowstorm and the spring thaw happening at the same time. The ruts kept me out of both the bars (which I don’t frequent), and the grocery store (which I visit on a pretty regular basis.) So meals this week have been an exercise in creative substitutions. Some dishes did not receive the coveted Hiram seal of approval, but the one featured today was a rousing success.
The original recipe, Pasta Risotto with Peas and Pancetta, was published in the March 8–10, 2013 issue of USA Weekend Magazine. The recipe below is the substitute version, but you can click on the link to see the original. It was very easy to make and took less than a half hour to prepare.
Macaroni Risotto with Peas and Bacon
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
1 1/4 cups frozen peas
8 ounces uncooked macaroni (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon soft butter substitute
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Brown bacon in a heavy frying pan or Dutch oven. When it is bronze and crisp, use a slotted spoon to place it on a plate lined with paper toweling. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of grease. Add peeled, quartered garlic clove to grease and cook until golden; discard garlic.
Add peas and stir for a moment, until the frozen look leaves them. Add macaroni and stir, then add the boiling water. Turn down the heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to stop it from sticking. If needed, add a little more boiling water.
When it’s ready, the macaroni should be soft and starchy and the water absorbed. Add the butter substitute and Parmesan* and beat until well mixed. Add the bacon and stir until mixed. Serve immediately.
*The amount of Parmesan was so small, it didn’t bother my allergies. But if you’re worried, just leave it out and let diners sprinkle cheese on individual helpings…or not!
by jphilo | Feb 6, 2013 | Recipes
Between a long, busy weekend and the tail end of a cold, there was no time to test recipes. Instead, in honor of soup weather, here are links to several favorite soup and stew recipes. Enjoy!
- French Stew: This was my daughter’s favorite when she was growing up.
- Cream of Broccoli Soup: This soup tastes equally good with almond milk for those of you who have dairy allergies.
- Cheeseburger Chowder: Hiram and I recently tested a non-dairy version of this family favorite recipe using almond milk and non-dairy cheese shreds. It was surprisingly good.
- Crock Pot Bean Soup: This recipe is easy, inexpensive, healthy, and tasty. What more could you want?
- Turkey Tortilla Soup: This one’s in last place because there’s a division in the Philo ranks concerning it. I love this soup, but the Man of Steel does not. Believe me, its delish!
So what’s your favorite soup recipe? I’d love to try something new.
photo credit: stock.xchng
by jphilo | Sep 5, 2012 | Recipes
The hunt for recipes that allow us to use our weekly bag full of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetables and fruits continues. Our allotment of cucumbers is one I find difficult to use – often I leave them in my brother and sister-in-law’s fridge during Tuesday visits with Mom at his house. So when the August 17-19 issue of USA Weekend ran this recipe, I was delighted.
As usual, I messed with the recipe by adding onion, which we both like, relegating the feta cheese to stand-by status to accommodate dairy allergies, and cutting down on the amount of tomato and cucumber, (Even though I wanted to use mine up, I can only eat so much of that veggie.) So here’s my version of this yummy sandwich that is healthy, easy and delicious. Hiram and I gave this recipe 2 thumbs up. What about you?
Zesty Greek Salad Pitas with Olive-Garlic Tapende
1 small to medium cucumber, seeded and cut into chunks (about 1 cup)
1 cup of chopped tomato
4 medium radishes, cut into chunks
1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 – 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh
Fresh ground black pepper
3 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, washed
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 whole-wheat pita pockets
1/4 cup Olive-Garlic Tapenade (see recipe below)
In a medium bowl, combine all vegetables except spinach. Add olive oil, vinegar, oregano, and black pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.
In blender or food processor, combine 2 cloves garlic (I ran mine through a garlic press first), 1 cup Kalamata olives, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, and 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Process in blender or food processor until mixture is spreadable, but not completely smooth.
Spread inside of each pita pocket with a tablespoon of olive-garlic tapenade. Stuff with 3/4 cup spinach and 1/2 cup of salad mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Enjoy!
by jphilo | Aug 1, 2012 | Recipes
Summer vegetables are stacking up in the refrigerator at an alarming rate thanks to our weekly CSA share. So I’m getting desperate creative at coming up with new ways to disguise serve veggies at mealtime.
The other night, I combined a zucchini, a couple red and yellow peppers, and a bag of yellow string beans (aka: the contents of the vegetable crisper) to create a stir fry Hiram and I loved. To top it all off, I was able to use fresh herbs from my new herb garden, the contents of which are growing like weeds despite the heat.
Here’s my recipe, but don’t be afraid to substitute with vegetables and herbs threatening to overtake your refrigerator and garden!
Summer Veggie Stir Fry Medley
1 zucchini or summer squash, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
1 pound green or yellow string beans, snapped and cut into 1 inch slices
1 red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Heat oil in wok or skillet on high, then turn down to medium-high. Stir fry beans for 2 minutes. Add squash. Stir fry until the outside of the squash starts to soften and then add peppers. Stir fry for 2 minutes longer and then add garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Mix well and sprinkle salt over the top. Stir fry 1 more minute and serve hot.
