I went to my friend's house Saturday and she prepared the yummiest chicken! She marinated it, then grilled it outside, then kept it warm in the oven, covered with aluminum foil. I got her to send her recipe to me and I'm posting it for everyone who can find it. :)
1 fryer chicken
1 medium onion
1 head of garlic
1 bouquet of fresh parsley
1 bouquet of green onions
powdered red pepper
salt & pepper
1 cube Chicken bouillon
Vinegar
1. Wash all ingredients (except chicken, vinegar, salt!) and then crush in a blender.
2. Wash and cut up chicken pieces (leg, breasts, drumstick, etc.). Rinse pieces with vinegar and then sprinkle with salt.
3. Spread crushed marinade over chicken and let rest 15 minutes.
4. Grill chicken on pre-heated grill. What my friend did is braise the chicken on the grill (just get the OUTSIDE cooked and browned on a HOT grill) and then tuck the covered chicken into the oven on 200* until it was cooked thoroughly. Either way, YUM!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
400 Best-Ever Recipes: Fat Free, Low Fat
I am on a fairly strict no-dairy, no-fat diet now that I've been having issues with my gall bladder. I have had to take several old recipes and take out all of the good stuff and substitute fat-free or very low-fat wherever I can. So when I saw the book, 400 Best-Ever Recipes: Fat Free, Low Fat, by Anne Sheasby, I was SO EXCITED.
There's a problem though. And it seems to be a broken record from nearly ALL of my other cookbook reviews. THE RECIPES ARE TOO FANCY!!! I do NOT keep fennel, sunflower margarine, or ground lemon grass on hand! I do not keep cooking wines around the house, just because I wouldn't use them often enough (and my husband doesn't like the idea of cooking wine... but then again, he doesn't like the idea of using curry, either!). There was one recipe in the beginning of the book that called for THREE red peppers. What kind of a budget would I have to have to make things like are in this book!
Okay, here are the good things. PICTURES. Beautiful PICTURES. I am very visual, and love a good picture. It looks to me like ALL of the dishes have at least one picture taken... and many of them have some in-between-step pictures included.
If I had a larger food budget and a family who were interested in the more "fancy" foods, this book would be an AMAZING find. Unfortunately, we're simple folk who need to reduce our fat intake and this book just isn't for us. If YOU like fancier foods, you might want to take a more in-depth look. I found a couple of soups that I copied down, but maybe you'll find much more. :)
There's a problem though. And it seems to be a broken record from nearly ALL of my other cookbook reviews. THE RECIPES ARE TOO FANCY!!! I do NOT keep fennel, sunflower margarine, or ground lemon grass on hand! I do not keep cooking wines around the house, just because I wouldn't use them often enough (and my husband doesn't like the idea of cooking wine... but then again, he doesn't like the idea of using curry, either!). There was one recipe in the beginning of the book that called for THREE red peppers. What kind of a budget would I have to have to make things like are in this book!
Okay, here are the good things. PICTURES. Beautiful PICTURES. I am very visual, and love a good picture. It looks to me like ALL of the dishes have at least one picture taken... and many of them have some in-between-step pictures included.
If I had a larger food budget and a family who were interested in the more "fancy" foods, this book would be an AMAZING find. Unfortunately, we're simple folk who need to reduce our fat intake and this book just isn't for us. If YOU like fancier foods, you might want to take a more in-depth look. I found a couple of soups that I copied down, but maybe you'll find much more. :)
Vicky Lansky's Kids Cooking
A cookbook review! We had this one on our shelves. My three-year-old was napping (on my bedroom floor!) and my five-year-old wanted to hang out. So we pulled out some cookbooks that had the word "kids" in the title. He settled on Vicky Lansky's Kids Cooking... And we made some... cookies... that appear to be of the oatmeal variety. I can't have any... because of health issues, I've had to swear off almost all fat, and almost all milk. So when these cookies came out SWIMMING in butter (they were VERY easy to remove from the pan......), there was no way.
The book LOOKS like it would be fantastic. There are a few pages up front with pictures of things kids could make, and it includes the page number. Also, the words are easy-to-read. Scotty did just fine reading through the instructions (except for the word, "margarine"), BUT. And this is big. It doesn't matter how good the book is for kids, or how many up front pictures there are if the one recipe we try comes out as greasy as this. Gross.
So this cookbook is a NO-GO. Especially since it's listed new on Amazon for some $36. That must be somebody's idea of a joke. ;)
The book LOOKS like it would be fantastic. There are a few pages up front with pictures of things kids could make, and it includes the page number. Also, the words are easy-to-read. Scotty did just fine reading through the instructions (except for the word, "margarine"), BUT. And this is big. It doesn't matter how good the book is for kids, or how many up front pictures there are if the one recipe we try comes out as greasy as this. Gross.
So this cookbook is a NO-GO. Especially since it's listed new on Amazon for some $36. That must be somebody's idea of a joke. ;)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Best Ever Banana Cake
The last couple of times I baked this cake, I don't think it baked long enough! So today is the last attempt at making this promising recipe, and what do you know, it turned out brilliantly!
Preheat: 275*
Category: Dessert, cake, bananas, PICTURES
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe (I had four bananas READY for use, so I used all four)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup butter, softened (I accidently left this out! I found it in the microwave when I went to soften the frosting butter!!!! Oops!)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I substituted 1 1/2 cups skim milk + 2 t. vinegar, letting it sit for 10 min.)
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 cups flour1. Preheat the oven.
2. Great and flour a 9x13 pan. Or do like I did, Miss Fancypants herself, and use two 9" circle pans. :) I just sprayed it and it came out just fine.
3. Mix banana with lemon juice; set aside. I didn't bother reading directions. I literally dumped everything in, flour last, and then poured the batter into the pans. But I'll tell you what the recipe says to do just in case.
5. Mix in baking soda, salt, flour, alternating with buttermilk.
6. Beat eggs, then add one at a time. Add vanilla.
7. Stir in banana mixture.
8. Bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick comes out clean. Remember what I said about having problems with this recipe? I didn't just use the toothpick test, I also tested it for LOOKING done. I let it get a little more brown, taking probably 1 hour and 10 minutes.
9. Put directly into freezer for 45 minutes. Apparently this step makes the cake incredibly moist. :) I do it, but I don't guess you have to. The nice thing is that when you pull it out of the freezer, it's all ready to frost AND the cake has separated from the sides of the cake pan so it's easy to remove.
The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook
Title: The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook
Author: Mireille Guillano
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Atria Books, A Division of Simon & Schuster
Pages: 298, including your obligatory italicized French words, and an index.
I've been lax in posting reviews; after finding the Food Nanny cookbook that had so many great recipes (that I'm STILL trying!!!), I haven't had motivation to find new cooking fodder. I was poking around for French stuff for my kids (we homeschool) with French as the keyword, and LOOK at what I found. Of COURSE I ordered it through the library. I've been low-energy (ha ha, you can tell because I haven't posted hardly ANY recipes!!!) but the book is due this coming Thursday... I guess it's TIME. :D.
Things I Like About This Book:
Well. I like that there's an index. I like that there are many recipes to choose from. I like the idea that if I eat moderately what's in this cookbook that I could (finally!!!) lose weight. The book is chic with modern illustrations.
I liked the food she put into context. She said that probably the two most unhealthy foods are doughnuts and bagels... and with bagels, we load them with cream cheese, sometimes jam. We have cut doughnuts almost completely out of our diet (I have to say "almost" because my sister-in-law brought some homemade doughnuts over and we devoured them!!). Bagels, we don't eat very often. I like that she advocates eating breakfast, and that it be a balanced meal. We don't just eat carbohydrates and call it good. We need to have protein, maybe some fruit.
This leads to the ONE recipe we might use, Magical Breakfast Cream. It's healthy, it's complete, and it looks yummy, in spite of the flaxseed oil! :D
Things I Don't Like About This Book.
Man cannot live by modern illustrations alone. I liked one recipe and the rest were too fancy for me. Behold some recipe titles:
Fusilli with Spinach and Anchovies
Beet and Ginger Gazpacho
Carmelized Chicken with Vegetable "Pancake"
Prosciutto Wrapped Around Grissini
Mackeral with Curry and Leeks
I can't imagine my husband's face if I were to tell him we were eating "Prosciutto Wrapped Around Grissini!" Maybe if we were fancier folk. I am seeing a pattern to my cookbook reviews........ if it's too fancy, it's OUT. :)
Author: Mireille Guillano
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Atria Books, A Division of Simon & Schuster
Pages: 298, including your obligatory italicized French words, and an index.
I've been lax in posting reviews; after finding the Food Nanny cookbook that had so many great recipes (that I'm STILL trying!!!), I haven't had motivation to find new cooking fodder. I was poking around for French stuff for my kids (we homeschool) with French as the keyword, and LOOK at what I found. Of COURSE I ordered it through the library. I've been low-energy (ha ha, you can tell because I haven't posted hardly ANY recipes!!!) but the book is due this coming Thursday... I guess it's TIME. :D.
Things I Like About This Book:
Well. I like that there's an index. I like that there are many recipes to choose from. I like the idea that if I eat moderately what's in this cookbook that I could (finally!!!) lose weight. The book is chic with modern illustrations.
I liked the food she put into context. She said that probably the two most unhealthy foods are doughnuts and bagels... and with bagels, we load them with cream cheese, sometimes jam. We have cut doughnuts almost completely out of our diet (I have to say "almost" because my sister-in-law brought some homemade doughnuts over and we devoured them!!). Bagels, we don't eat very often. I like that she advocates eating breakfast, and that it be a balanced meal. We don't just eat carbohydrates and call it good. We need to have protein, maybe some fruit.
This leads to the ONE recipe we might use, Magical Breakfast Cream. It's healthy, it's complete, and it looks yummy, in spite of the flaxseed oil! :D
Things I Don't Like About This Book.
Man cannot live by modern illustrations alone. I liked one recipe and the rest were too fancy for me. Behold some recipe titles:
Fusilli with Spinach and Anchovies
Beet and Ginger Gazpacho
Carmelized Chicken with Vegetable "Pancake"
Prosciutto Wrapped Around Grissini
Mackeral with Curry and Leeks
I can't imagine my husband's face if I were to tell him we were eating "Prosciutto Wrapped Around Grissini!" Maybe if we were fancier folk. I am seeing a pattern to my cookbook reviews........ if it's too fancy, it's OUT. :)
Magical Breakfast Cream
This is borrowed from The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook. :) I like the idea of the recipe. It's simple and so healthful!
Preheat: --
Category: Breakfast, yogurt
1 serving
4-6 Tablespoons Yogurt (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 Tablespoons finely ground cereal with zero sugar
2 teaspoons finely ground walnuts
1. Combine yogurt and oil, mixing well.
2. Add the lemon juice, mixing well.
3. Add the honey and mix well.
4. Finely ground the cereal and walnuts, then add and mix well.
5. Serve immediately.
Preheat: --
Category: Breakfast, yogurt
1 serving
4-6 Tablespoons Yogurt (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 Tablespoons finely ground cereal with zero sugar
2 teaspoons finely ground walnuts
1. Combine yogurt and oil, mixing well.
2. Add the lemon juice, mixing well.
3. Add the honey and mix well.
4. Finely ground the cereal and walnuts, then add and mix well.
5. Serve immediately.
Arroz con Pollo
My mom and I thought this was fantastic! It's flavorful and satisfying. My HUSBAND, who doesn't like "saucy" rice, and my kids, who don't like... well, anything with vegetables and adult flavors... didn't eat hardly any of it. I'm posting it here for the grown-ups who love flavor. :D
p.s. This is a fantastic way to use leftover rice. :)
Arroz con Pollo
Preheat: --
Category: Mexican, comfort food, rice, chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1/2" strips (I used the chicken breast I had in my freezer)
3 Tablespoon oil (I used olive oil--yum)
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered (I bought mine pre-sliced and used what I had left in the package)
1 medium onion, diced (I used a whole large yellow onion--I subbed some things instead of using premade salsa)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used four cloves, another sub for salsa)
2 cups salsa (In addition to the onion and garlic, I added a large can of diced tomatoes and minced some seeded jalapeno. The seeds could have been left in, but I took out the heat for my kids. If I made this again, I'd use TWO jalapenos, seeding one. Oh! I added some course-ground salt to this step, just shy of a teaspoon)
1 cup monterrey jack, shredded
1-2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice
salt + pepper
parsley or cilantro, for color (I used some dried cilantro; perfect in a pinch)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 t. ground cayenne (unnecessary with the heat of the salsa/jalapenos)
1) Sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Oh, and I sautéed the jalapeno, too.
2) Add chicken, browning on all sides. The recipe directions weren't very practical with the amount of sautéed vegetables in my skillet, so I settled for partially cooked.
3) Add salsa, rice. Cook for about two minutes. I went ahead and added in my spices at this stage. Why not! The cilantro needed time to freshen up.
4) Add broth. I just used one cup of broth and it was still pretty soupy--I had to simmer down the liquid for a good 10 minutes.
5) Turn off heat and add cheese. Mix in spices.
6) Top with parsley and/or cilantro. Serve hot. We served this with broccoli, corn and peas. :)
p.s. This is a fantastic way to use leftover rice. :)
Arroz con Pollo
Preheat: --
Category: Mexican, comfort food, rice, chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1/2" strips (I used the chicken breast I had in my freezer)
3 Tablespoon oil (I used olive oil--yum)
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered (I bought mine pre-sliced and used what I had left in the package)
1 medium onion, diced (I used a whole large yellow onion--I subbed some things instead of using premade salsa)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used four cloves, another sub for salsa)
2 cups salsa (In addition to the onion and garlic, I added a large can of diced tomatoes and minced some seeded jalapeno. The seeds could have been left in, but I took out the heat for my kids. If I made this again, I'd use TWO jalapenos, seeding one. Oh! I added some course-ground salt to this step, just shy of a teaspoon)
1 cup monterrey jack, shredded
1-2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice
salt + pepper
parsley or cilantro, for color (I used some dried cilantro; perfect in a pinch)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 t. ground cayenne (unnecessary with the heat of the salsa/jalapenos)
1) Sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Oh, and I sautéed the jalapeno, too.
2) Add chicken, browning on all sides. The recipe directions weren't very practical with the amount of sautéed vegetables in my skillet, so I settled for partially cooked.
3) Add salsa, rice. Cook for about two minutes. I went ahead and added in my spices at this stage. Why not! The cilantro needed time to freshen up.
4) Add broth. I just used one cup of broth and it was still pretty soupy--I had to simmer down the liquid for a good 10 minutes.
5) Turn off heat and add cheese. Mix in spices.
6) Top with parsley and/or cilantro. Serve hot. We served this with broccoli, corn and peas. :)
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