FoodTalk! Sharing Recipes
 

Here is a place where members can share their favorite recipes.......and yes, they dont have to include choccy....................:D

Chicken a la Chemar
 

Ingredients For Chicken a la Chemar:

2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins
butter (1/2 stick=4 tblsp)
sesame seeds and oil (seeds to coat chicken and a few drops of oil)
Wonder Flour (enough for a light coat on chicken)

The Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Mirin or sweet sherry
1/2 cup soft dark brown sugar
1+ tblsp ginger (fresh chopped or powder or paste) (add more or less acc to taste)
2+ cloves chopped garlic
2 bunches chopped scallions (green aka spring onions, bulbs and stems, remove roots and about 2 inches of stem tips)

Method:

Combine together all sauce ingredients (reserving half of the scallions for later) and let stand on the side. Be sure to keep stirring till all sugar is fully dissolved in the mixture. (I stir periodically while I am doing the rest)

Melt butter in ovenproof glass dish at 350deg (I use a lasagna dish)
Coat chicken lightly with flour and sesame seeds
add about 12 drops of sesame oil to the melted butter and mix together and then add chicken, coating both sides with the butter blend. I usually sprinkle a little flour and extra sesame seeds at this point and then return to oven at 400 deg.

When tops of chicken are brown, turn over each piece and then return to oven to brown more. This is usually around 10-15 min per side in my oven

Stir sauce mix and evenly pour over chicken and return to oven at 400 deg for 10-15 min min and then turn chicken over. Back to oven for about another 10-15 min (I usually give each side of chicken about 2 minutes under the broiler as my kids like that extra "brown" added) and it should be all done to enjoy with steamed rice, green beans or broccoli and carrots and a yummy side salad. Oh yes, sprinkle the remaining uncooked scallions on before serving the chicken.

ps My children love Japanese food, as do my husband and I, and so I came up with this when they asked me to make them one of their Japanese favorites, Chicken Yakitori. I tweaked things here and there to suit our tastebuds. If you prefer it less sweet just reduce the sugar and mirin/sherry a little or up the soy sauce :winky: Mirin is sweet sake/rice wine )

Enjoy!
:)
C

and for desert........
 

well

more like for tea :D

one of my childhood favorites, which was very popular in South Africa where I grew up, but I am told originates from one of the other Brit Colonies, in Queensland, Australia:p (Said to have been named after Baron Lamington, a popular governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901.)

here ya go

Lamingtons
Small squares of plain spongecake dipped in melted chocolate and coated in desiccated coconut. Works best if cake is a day old before dipping.



SPONGE CAKE(you can also buy a plain sponge cake or even a pound cake)-make day before

3 eggs
1/2 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cornflour
15g (1/2oz) butter
3 tablespoons hot water

Beat eggs until creamy and gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is completely dissolved.
Fold in sifted flour and cornflour, then add combined water and butter.
Pour mixture into prepared(lightly greased and flour dusted) 7x11 inch pans (13x9 works too...
Bake in moderate oven around 350 deg approximately 30 mins. (watch for browning, check that toothpick comes out of center dry when done)

Let cake stand in pan for 5 min before turning out onto wire rack.
when cooled, place in sealed container at room temperature overnight

CHOCOLATE sauce
3 cups desiccated coconut
500g or 16 oz confectioner's icing sugar (extra fine)
1/3 cup cocoa
(extra cocoa can beused for a more choccy loving tatsebud:winky: Curious)
15g (1/2oz) butter
1/2 cup milk

Sift confectioner's sugar and cocoa into heatproof bowl.
Stir in butter and milk.
Stir over a pan of hot water until choccy sauce is creamy smooth and has a glossy shine to it.

Trim the brown top and sides from the cake. (yes, you may eat those:cool: )
Cut into even pieces.
dip each cake piece into icing.( a fork is good for this)
Hold over bowl a few minutes to drain off excess chocolate sauce.
Gently turn or sprinkle in coconut to coat.
Place on cookie sheet to set.

and gobble quickly before the monkey finds them!!!!!!!:eek:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...lamingtons.jpg

:D

You know your history! LOL
I just live down the road from Lamington National Park.
http://lamington.nrsm.uq.edu.au/ {Sound UP}

______________

This one I love making and eating.
It's great if you're not allergic to cornflour, flour, eggs, milk and other things. LOL. ;)
I've copied the recipe from an old tv show "Burkes Backyard" online though.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...frangipani.jpg

Frangipani Pie

Pineapple Layer:

1 x 450g can crushed pineapple
1/4 cup cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water
2 eggs (separated)

Coconut Cream Layer:

1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 cup coconut
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 baked 20cm (8") pastry shell or crumb crust

Method:

1. Bring crushed pineapple to boil. Add egg yolks to blended cornflour and stir into pineapple, stirring until thick. Set aside.
2. For coconut cream layer, heat milk, sugar and pinch salt in saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add blended cornflour and stir until thick.
3. Remove from heat and add coconut, butter and vanilla.
4. Spoon half coconut cream mixture into pastry shell. Add pineapple, then remaining cream.
5. Top with meringue (using the 2 egg whites and 4 tablespoons sugar) and bake in a moderate oven, 180°C for 15 minutes.

__________________

If anyone has recipe for what I've heard called a Key Lime Pie, I'd love that please. :)

Chemar that chicken sound great. I have all those ingredients although I have absolutely no idea what "Wonder Flour" could possibly be. lol. I'm also just not sure what a scallion is, but figure it's probably either a spring onion or a shallot. I'll look it up.

Edited to add: I looked up Scallion in images and it looks as if it's what I call a Spring Onion. Thanks!

This is wonderful
 

Don't forget you have diabetics hanging around i do like looking at the
pictures. Now where's Grandma's Chocolate Pie. ummm this will be
fun,what a gret idea. whoops i think i'm suppose to be on another
forum. Gosh darn!!:D Sue

LOL I always thought Lamingtons were Welsh, or at least English cos my mom made them a lot.
It actually wasnt till I came to post the recipe here and looked up to see if there was a basic one on the Net, that I saw the bit about them originating in Oz:p



I do and will dig it out tomorrow when I dont have a jello brain like now:) Tho I am sure many others here would also have it. VERY popular Floridian desert and oh so yummy

yeppers scallions are also called spring onions

The Wonder Flour comes in a shaker/dispenser. great for light coating and thickening as it doesnt clump easily like unsifted.

My kids love the chicken and we eat it at least once a weak. great for leftovers too

g'night...I am sure I shall dream food ;)

ps I cant wait to try the frangipani pie:Starvin:

Key Lime Pie for Lara
 

Key Lime Pie


Graham Cracker Crust (Make fresh or ok to use ready made)

16 graham crackers, crushed
3 tblsp sugar
1/4 lb melted butter (8 tblsp)

Mix crumbs with melted butter and press crust into a 9" pie plate.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned.
Place on a rack to cool.

Pie Filling
4 large egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (use bottled if no fresh available but fresh is best)
2 teaspoons lime zest( finely grated lime peel)


Beat egg yolks until they are just thick and pale. (Dont over beat.)
Add the sweetened condensed milk without mixing yet.
Now slowly beat in half of the lime juice until fully blended.
add the other half of the juice and the zest and blend in quickly (few seconds)

Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for NO MORE than 12 minutes to set the yolks
(dont overbake as then it gets kinda rubbery)

Serve with whipped cream.

real quick and easy and delicioso!!

enjoy:p

ps I have tried a lot of Key Lime Pie recipes, but this one is my fave so far...I got it from Gourmet Sleuth

Oops, sorry! Have had a bad time lately, I should never have promised it within 24 hours lol. However, this pie recipe is not diabetic-friendly, sorry to say. I'd be interested to see if anyone could turn it into one, although that seems doubtful.

Now, down to business! Here is Grandma's Chocolate Chiffon Pie :D


This recipe only makes ONE pie... you can double up the ingredients, of course... but only for the pie itself. Follow the recipe for the crust and put the listed amounts into each pie pan... it's very hard to accurately halve it once you double it up.

Crust:
1 C. cornflake crumbs (sometimes it's hard to find the packaged kind, so I usually crush my own... very finely)
2 Tbsp nuts, finely chopped (I prefer pecans)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 C. butter (my mother used margarine, but I don't.. this pie isn't exactly diet-friendly anyway, lol)

Put butter on to melt... place all other ingredients directly into pie pan. Mix them up, add butter when melted, and then use a fork to press firmly and evenly around 9" pie pan.
Bake @250 degrees for 7 min, then set aside till time to fill.

Pie ingredients:
1 env. unflavored gelatin
1 C. whipping cream
1/2 C. sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

MIX gelatine, sugar and salt in pan (I double up, so I use a dutch oven)
ADD milk and chocolate
COOK over medium heat until choc. is melted and sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat, beat on low until choc. is blended.
ADD vanilla
CHILL, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds when dropped from spoon. (This takes longer than you want it too, lol... several hours)
WHIP cream with 1 tsp sugar until stiff.
FOLD into choc. mixture
SPREAD lightly into crust
CHILL until firm
GARNISH with more whipped cream and any crust crumbs left over in bottom of piepan.

STUFF yourself
UNFASTEN top button on pants
SMILE :p

sounds real yummy Rogue :p

I will be trying this one next weekend..........we had Lara's frangipani pie yesterday and all I can say is http://bestsmileys.com/eating1/7.gif :winner_first_h4h:

Irish Daffodil Cake with Lemon Sauce
(Served @ Elmwood Inn, Ireland)

Yellow batter:
3/4 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 egg yolks
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Sift cake flour and baking powder together six times. Beat the egg yolks with lemon juice and water until thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over the egg mixture; fold in.

White batter:
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar

*powdered sugar (*optional, for decorating purpose)

Sift cake flour and powdered sugar together six times. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over the egg mixture; fold in.

Alternately spoon yellow and white mixtures into an ungreased 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 170C for 35 to 40 minutes. Invert and cool. *Dust the cake with powdered sugar (*optional)and serve with lemon sauce.

Lemon Sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
few grains salt (optional)

In a medium saucepan, mix together sugar and corn starch. Gradually add boiling water. Boil five minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh lemon juice, zest, butter, and salt.

Khoresh Gheimeh with Saffron Rice

* 2 onions (small to medium sized, white or yellow work. Thinly sliced, and then cut each slice in half)
* 1 lb. Stew meat (lamb, veal or beef) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 5 TBSP. Oil (I use one 'swoosh' of Olive Oil
* 6 whole dried Persian limes (These are actually dried lemons, I don't know why they call them limes)
* 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 TBSP. turmeric
* 2 TBSP. Tomato paste
* 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into slicks (I suggest going to McDonalds, or whatever place has skinny fries and buying a regular sized order of fries. Spending that extra 99 cents will save you 2 messy dishes and 30 extra minutes)
* 1 cup oil for deep frying (ignore this if you buy fries already made)
* 1/3 cup yellow split peas


In a large non-stick pot, brown meat & onions in 3 tablespoons oil (or a swoosh!). Add dried Persian limes, salt, pepper, turmeric. Saute for 2 minutes longer. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water and tomato paste (I get the water hot and stir paste into water, then add to the pot to make mixing easier). Bring to a boil (boil for around 5 minutes). Cover pot, turn heat to medium/low (from 1-10, cook it on 3 or 4) and cook for 45 minutes.

Cook yellow split peas in 2 1/2 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt for 30 minutes. Drain and add to pot. Make sure you check split pea bag for ROCKS (seriously), pick out rocks and the green ones! :D

Serve with a generous amount of Saffron Rice, place a few fries atop the gheimeh.

For the rice, a nice lazy posted various types of rice 'crusts' (best part of persian rice is the crust. For this dish, the proper crust would be standard tahdig (nothing but the rice/butter). For other dishes, the yogurt crust is my favorite. Anyway, I'll repost her post on rice and you can pick which sounds best.

I'd suggest using 2 cups of rice (it serves 4-6 people). If you're persian or feeding a persian (as I do nightly), double the serving size of the rice. It's a long post, but worth the read. I also have a great Ghormeh Sabzi recipe (spinach, fenugreek, garlic chives and lots of yum) I can dig up.

Tip: If you live near an Iranian/Persian market, spend $30.00 on the rice cooker - they are NOT the same as your average rice cooker, I assume any middle eastern market would carry them. They don't come with instructions (I don't know why). If you get one, follow the rinse/soak steps, add about 1/4 cup of oil or butter to the bottom of the rice cooker. Add 2-3 cups of 'clean and salty' rice. Match water + 1/2 with the rice. So 2 cups of soaked rice would mean to use 2 1/2 cups of water. Don't cook longer than 30 minutes in a persian rice cooker or it makes the tahdig soggy. The timer is always off on those things.

My better half tells me the worse it looks the better it tastes. In the case of Gheimeh, I tend to agree. I can't stand the color.

Mmmm, all these recipes sound delicious, :p as I live on my own I try not to do much sweet cooking or Id end up eating it all.
When I do cook my favorite cake I usually take it to the Frail age lodge where my Dad is, for morning tea, I gave the recipe to the staff and they all love it, in fact everyone who my sister and I give it to say how easy it is to make(I think even a man who cant cook could make it!!! although my brother in law doesnt believe us and wont try)

Boiled chocolate cake

In a large saucepan combine

3 cups sugar
2 cups water
8oz(220gm) butter
4 tablespoons cocoa

heat and bring to the boil, watch as its easy to boil over, take off heat and add 1teaspoon bicabonate of soda( it froths up VERY QUICKLY so be careful)
Set aside to cool.

When cool beat in
4 beaten eggs
3 cups self raising flour (sifted)

Pour into a prepared cake tin (35cm x 25cm)and cook in a moderate oven (180degrees C) for 35-40 minutes
Mixture is very runny, but dont worry.

Icing

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
3 tablespoons sifted cocoa
2-3 teaspoons milk
mix together til smooth, and spread on cooled cake

PS VERY Yummy heated in microwave and served with icecream:D

ooooh redtail that one sounds like a winner for my sons who rival our yappy monkey for being chocoholics :D

Thanks! this will be next on my list :Starvin:

ps Ellie I am definitely going to try that Khoresh Gheimehwhen I have some time! and that Irish daffodil Cake sounds delightful!!
I enjoy trying exotic foods and recipes from other cultures.
Have taste buds that love to travel :p:

Yummy, yummy, yummy!
I'd forgotten to check here for ages.
Thanks so much everyone. :)

oh wow!!!

that sounds sooooooooooooo good it is definite for today :p

thanks Lara!

Mmmmm lemon delicious, one of my very favourites!!!!, and as I live on my own I dont have to share it with anyone, its nice leftover for breakfast the next day to, if theres any left.

sure has become one of our favourites too, redtail :)

I love trying new recipes (and my kids do too :p )

broccoli soup
 

I am sitting here eating my very yummy broccoli soup for lunch,:Starvin: and thought I'd share the recipe, as it is very simple but very nice on a cold winters day(although from news reports, I doubt you guys up on the top of the world need warming up at the moment)

This recipe gives me 2 servings in a big soup cup.


1 medium onion
1 large head of broccoli chopped into small pieces
375 ml chicken stock
200 ml water
cream for serving


cut up onion and fry in some oil til light brown, add broccoli, stir, add stock and water and simmer until broccoli is soft but still nice and green.

I also add a few teaspoons of mixed herbs I buy from a local shop, I guess use what you prefer.

Use either a bamix or food processor and process until smooth, serve with a nice dollop of cream in a bowl.

I dont add the cream to the pot unless Im using it all at once as it keeps better without the cream.

hmmmmmmmm sounds good and healthy redtail :)

Last night we had a tri-tip steak roast, which I coated with dill, garlic, paprika, salt and ground black pepper

melted some butter in an ovenproof glass dish, seared tri-tip then coated with the goodies and roasted to medium

delicious!

Pizzas
 

I make my own pizzas. I'll just type it as I remember it and in the order I prepare it. I bought a book by Jamie Oliver from his trip around Italy and I've really enjoyed making some of the recipes he had in there although I usually change them a bit. I'm not so fond of rabbit or pigs. :p

_____________________

Sauce

• extra virgin olive oil
• clove of garlic minced or sliced
• a bunch of fresh basil washed and leaves taken off stems (bunch = a fair bit lol)
• 400 g of roma italian tomatoes (the egg shaped low acidic ones I use) or a tin/can of diced tomatoes
• pinch of sea salt
• ground black pepper

I cook the garlic in the oil but don't overcook the garlic then add the tomatoes and the basil and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Turn it right down to simmer and let simmer for an hour or so, doesn't really matter. Just cook till it reduces and thickens up. While it's cooking I use a fork from time to time to mush it up. Could use a processor I guess, but a fork works. :)

OK, so while that's on the stove and making the house smell amazing, it's time to prepare the dough for the bases.

Pizza dough.

I usually halve this quantity if I'm only wanting to make a few pizzas. It's a lot of flour and dough. I usually buy a special bread mix which comes with the flour and the yeast ready in a box rather than use regular flour.

• 800g / 1 3/4 lb strong white bread flour
• 200g / 7oz fine ground semolina (or if you don't want semolina, you need to add that quantity back in with more strong white flour)
• 1 level tablespoon of sea salt
• 2 x 7 oz sachets of dried yeast
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar (I usually just use regular old raw sugar)
• approx 650mls or just over 1 pint of lukewarm water

Put the flours and salt in a large bowl. Don't attempt to make this by putting the flour on the kitchen bench because the dam walls will burst and you'll have flours and yeast all over the kitchen. Believe me! ;)

Put the yeast and sugar in a bowl or jug with the lukewarm water. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes.

Then pour into a well in centre of the flour in the bowl. Mix in the flour from the sides into the liquid in the centre. It doesn't take long. I use my floured hands. Once it's all combined in a big lump, flour the board on the bench or use the bench and then knead for about 10 mins. There's an art to kneading and the more you make these the better and faster it gets. :)

Let it sit in a covered bowl until you're ready to make it. I usually leave it while the tomatoes cook.

OK, what's next. Don't forget you need to preheat the oven before cooking.
Preheat oven to 250C or 500F or Gas mark 9.

When oven is hot and you're ready to rock and roll, then take a lump of the dough and roll it out on the bench. I use a little semolina flour to do this because I like the taste and texture it leaves on the cooked pizza.

I use a special pizza base for the oven which has dozens of holes in the bottom of it. It tends to allow the base to cook nicely rather than go soggy in the middle.

Spread the tomato mixture over the dough on the pizza tray and then top with whatever you like. I mix them up a bit and don't forget to put more of the fresh basil leaves on the top when you're ready to put in the oven. (That's if you like basil).

Cook for about 7 or 10 minutes but that depends on whether you've made tiny little ones or great big ones.

Enjoy. Oh, If I've forgotten something I'll add it tomorrow LOL :cool:

bumping up in case anyone wants to share some special Thanksgiving feast recipes :Starvin:

Fried Bananas, yummy yummy
 

Go to the store and get either some very green eating bananas, or some very brown and black plantain bananas

Make up some cornmeal batter, use an egg and some milk and put a very little sugar in too

Slice up whatever kind of bananas you have and get a frying pan full of some pretty hot oil going

Dip the banana slices in the batter and drop them in the oil. Fry them until they are golden brown all the way around and then take them out and let them cool. Not too cool though....they are best warm!

Now, before you even consider eating one, dip the fried and warm slices in some powdered sugar, you don't need much sugar at all just a dusting is just fine.

My favorite breakfast growing up, fried bananas, a fresh picked pumelo or tangerine, a fresh picked mango, a big ol guava pie, oh yeah, and a great big glassful of "cafe cubano".

Boston Brown Bread
 

Since I typed this recipe up in another thread, I thought I might as well put it here too.

It's a really easy recipe and it's not real sweet. Everybody always asked me for the recipe when I made it, so I think it is pretty good.

Boston Brown Bread

1-1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups raisins
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Boil raisins and water for 3 min. Let cool. Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg, molasses and vanilla. Then add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Use 3 - 17 oz cans or
4 - 15 oz. cans or loaf pans (I think I meant the small tin loaf pans)

Happy Baking!

With all those beautiful main courses, and those lovely desserts, I thought you'd like a wee drop of my favourite tipple to have with coffee, so you can wash them all down! :D

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

1 Cup Irish Whisky
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Chocolate topping
1 Tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
300 ml (1/2 pint) cream

Beat all ingredients together
Bottle and store in refrigerator

Enjoy!

Simple yet delicious -

1 pound Jimmy Dean sausage, extra spicy
1 jar cheez whiz
1 bag tortilla chips

Brown sausage in pan. Do NOT drain grease. Nuke cheese until it can flow out of the jar. Pour cheese in with sausage. Allow to heat to a good simmer.

Dip chips into mixture and enjoy.

It's a guy thing...

Tom

My gosh Tom; how are your arteries? If you can eat that and still have good cholesterol then I am so envious. Sounds good though.:winky:

Well, I've said this before. I don't like to cook. I am a good cook though since it is my 'duty' to prepare our food. (yuk!).

I try all kinds of stuff, but know what I'd really like??

I'd like simple ideas for meals which don't require so much prep or clean up.

I'd like to do healthier eating, but just more like 'noshing', not dining.

IF it were just me...I'd pick all day. I can eat an entire pint of blueberries or raspberries. Yum.

I'd like to have more veggies (fresh) with dips too.

(I hate to clean the veggies though). I try to clean veggies in the living room (with protective towels around:winky:) so I can watch the telly or something to take me away from the banality of the job.

Okay, this is nuts, but I just don't enjoy preparation and the clean up is so monotonous.

Am I alone in this?!

Tootsie:winky:

Best Mac n' Cheese Ever!!
 

This is the best macaroni and cheese I have ever tasted and it's easy to make:

3/4 lb. ellbow macaroni noodles
3 large eggs
3 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 & 1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Butter your baking dish (8X12 or 9X13)

Cook macaroni noodles.

Drain noodles (don't rinse!!) and transfer to a large bowl. Add two cups of the shredded cheese and stir until cheese has melted.

In another large bowl scramble the three eggs and add the sour cream. Mix until all the lumps are gone. Add the milk and the 1/2 stick butter (cut up into small pieces). Stir this mixture into the macaroni , mix well and transfer into buttered baking dish.

Top with remaining cheese and bake for 35 minutes.

Let stand about 10 minutes before eating.

More or less cheese can be used according to taste. I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp - it seems to melt the best and have the best flavor.

Melody's Veggie Fritters
 

This recipe is for those of us who ....AHEM!!!! don't eat butter, chocolate, cake, icing, (ALL THE GOOD STUFF).

This is a very easy side dish, not fattening (at least not the way I make it). and you get your serving of vegetables. And you get a neat side dish.

You can also make this in variable ways to suit ANYONE's tastes.

All you do is take whatever veggies you prefer. For this one I'll use the one's I always make.

I take (all fresh now). Broccoli, zucchini and carrots.

I grate them using either a food processor, or a hand grater. I have a V SLICER and i can grate my veggies into little bits.

In a bowl, put all the ground up veggies (you can also make them look like little slivers (depends on the attachment you use to cut up the veggies).

Take one onion and chop it fine and add to veggie mixture. You can also add some chopped garlic.

So put all veggies in a big bowl. Add egg whites (or egg beaters), or eggs. I use the equivalent of two eggs.

Pour the egg mixture into the veggies. Add one half of unsalted breadcrumbs (we use un-salted) but any kind will do.

Add two teaspoons of seltzer (the carbonation will make the fritters puff up).

You can add salt and pepper to taste if you prefer.

Mix up the mixture, (adding more or less of the breadcrumbs so you get a nice handful that's easy to mold).

Now here's the fun part. You can shape this fritters into any shape you like.

Alan likes the shape of croquettes. I can shape them into croquettes, or into flat patties.

Once you make a batch of these, (now this is where you can make them the regular way (heat up oil in a frying pan), or non-fattening way (spray the frying pan with PAM or any non-stick coating.

Once the pan is nice and hot, place the croquettes or flat patties, in the hot pan, letting one side cook so thoroughly that it doesn't fall apart when you flip them. When one side is done and nicely browned, flip over and cook the other side. Cook on low (after they are browned) if they are croquettes, cook for 10 minutes, (you'll see how they look and you'll know when they are done).

Let's say you make 8 patties or croquettes. Use half one night and the other half the other night. But these are so good that if you have a lot of people, they'll gobble them up.

Now here's where it gets really interesting.

You can serve these with sour cream (absolutely divine).
You can serve these with apple sauce (also absolutely divine).

Or you can serve these like I make them for Alan.

I drizzle honey over the croquettes and add Splenda. Alan has taste buds problem since he used the fentanyl pain patch, and he can't taste sweet so I have to sweeten things extra for him.

Well, you should have seen his face the first time I made these with the honey and the splenda.

He said. "this is the most delicious thing I ever ate, WHAT IS THIS??

I simply said 'Brocolli, zuchini, and carrots".

Now you can use diced up red and yellow peppers which will add color.

Use your imagination.

This is a good side dish to get kids to eat their vegetables.

I can only imagine what serving it with Sour Cream would taste like.

Oh my god, MAYBE SOME DAY!!!

So enjoy!!

Make a big sheet cake.

Buy any chocolate cake mix, or vanilla cake mix and add some pudding.

Many cake mixes already have the can of pudding in the box.

Make two of these so it can feed everybody (I'm sure there will be other desserts there as well).

So get two of those aluminum 9 X 13 pans. Pour in the batter.

Bake the cake according to directions.

Then spread some chocolate frosting.

Get some confetti sprinkles. And pour all the sprinkles on the top of the cake.

This is so easy to do. Takes no time. The confetti makes it party-time.

And the kids can have fun eating the sprinkles.

It's a very festive looking cake!!!

I thought of chocolate mud cake. That also comes in packets and what kid doesn't like chocolate cake? :)

Buy 2 boxes of mix and separate into 2 large tins. Frost with the chocolate icing that comes with the packet mix and Hey Presto!.... Instant success!. :D

Easy and Quick. Those are two of my requirements.

This recipe tastes really good. Healthy too. The ingredients make it sound complex but once you try it, you will be amazed.:)

Low Fat Chicken Parmesan

1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 ½ cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese

1. Preheat the broiler
2. In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of the parmesan with the bread crumbs, parsley, basil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place the egg white in a second shallow dish.
3. Dip each chicken tender in the egg white, then dredge through the bread crumb mixture.
4. In a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and cook 3 minutes per side or until done. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
5. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining salt with the pasta sauce, vinegar and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving one side loose to vent. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle evenly with provolone and remaining Parmesan. Broil 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Nutrition Information per serving: 308 calories, 10 g total fat, 88 mg cholesterol, 808 mg sodium, 36 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber

Source: Cooking Light magazine’s “Cooking Light Italian.”

Budget Cooking
 

With the cost of groceries going up every day I thought that maybe we could all share our "budget" recipes. I know that I am trying to cook with less now and sometimes it gets to the point where I just fix the same things over and over.

Does anyone have any recipes to share that are budget friendly AND good??:p

I'll start:

Tuna Spaghetti Casserole

4 ounces spaghetti, broken, cooked & drained
1 can or pouch (7 oz.) tuna, drained & flaked
1 small jar pimentoes (optional), drained & chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese (your choice - I use extra sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup crushed potato chips

Combine cooked spaghetti (I break mine up into 2 inch pieces before cooking), tuna and pimento. In a large saucepan combine the soup, milk and cheese. Heat and stir until cheese is melted. Add spaghetti/tuna mixture and mix well. Transfer to a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish and sprinkle with crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Okay, here's my contribution.

We eat a lot of veggies in our meal plans. Besides drinking my fresh juice in the morning.

So if at night, I have made steamed carrots, brocolli, asparagus, zucchini, (whatever I steamed), well the next day, it's kind of limp, so while it might still taste good, it doesn't have the same appearance as the day previously.

So what I do is take all these cooked veggies, put in a food processor, add one egg or or egg substitute, some onion, (or shallots), some fresh garlic (or garlic powder if you don't have fresh), some parsley, (NO SALT), not needed.

Transfer the ground up mixture to a nice big bowl. Depending on how many veggies you have used, you can make a big batch or a small batch for just two servings. You get to know how to do this as you DO IT!!!

So in the bowl of mashed up veggies, you add about a half a cup of break crumbs (or cooked Quinoa), I've used both, does the trick.

Now (and this is unusual but it works), if you have some selzer in the house, add a bit. It puffs up the mixture in the pan.

So now you have the mixture, the breadcrumbs (or cooked Quinoa) and some selzer.

Mix all together and spray PAM into a frying pan. (if you don't care about calories, you can forego the PAM, and just add vegetable oil to the bottom of the pan.

Heat and then dip clean hands into the mixture and make either little balls, croquettes, or patties.

Then you carefully put them in the pan, making sure they are browned on all sides. Cook about ten minutes on medium, turning them from time to time. If you put the selzer in the mixture, you will see the patties puff up.

Then drain on paper towels.

(If you are having a party, you can make little balls, stick a toothpick and pass around as appetizers).

If used as a side dish, make them a big bigger.

Now how to serve these??

Alan likes them with honey and splenda. That's HIS thing. Not mine.

If I was not watching my weight or not a diabetic, I'd add a dollop of sour cream. There's low fat sour cream also.

Or you can get a nice applesauce and put some applesauce on these patties, or fitters or whatever you wish to call them.

These are very versatile, can be made to feed one or two people or a bunch of people (depending on how much cooked veggies you use).

I don't waste any veggies. If I cooked them one night, they get made into patties or fritters the next night.

IT'S ALSO A GREAT WAY TO GET KIDS TO EAT THEIR VEGGIES WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THEY ARE EATING VEGGIES.

They like the crispiness.

So Enjoy!!!

We tried this recipe a couple of days ago. It was REALLY GOOD.

Chicken and Veggies
 

This is a recipe that I wrote down from a BBC program called "You Are What You Eat." Yams and marinara sauce? Yes! it tastes good. : )

I could not resist trying something weird! And low in fat and of course...

Very easy and no mess!

1 large or 2 small chicken breasts
1 yam
1-2 zucchini
1 red onion
1-2 yellow summer squash
1 T. extra virgin oil
Marinara sauce

Cut chicken and veggies into bite size pieces.

In wok style pan, heat oil and cook chicken. Take out, set aside.

Next, cook yams in wok (no need to add more oil!). I boiled the yams, it was faster.

When soft, add other veggies. Be sure to not overcook veggies or you will lose the nutritional value.

When done, add chicken back into wok and heat. Add marinara sauce.Heat and serve.

Sprinkle with parmesan if you like.

Serves 3-4

Oh My. Alan loves chicken, yams and zuchinni.

Never thought to combine them and add sauce.

Doing this tomorrow.

THANKS MUCH.!!

I'm still getting over that you have leftover veggies... that never happens here lol. I'm a pan cleaner - oh look, there's corn left. Can't leave that. munch munch munch...

:D