Slow-Cooker Cashew Chicken

Here’s a winner! I found this Asian-inspired meal on the Internet and adapted it for slightly more sauce. This recipe combines a nice, moist chicken with a flavorful sauce and soft, but crunchy cashews served over rice. It turned out to be the perfect meal for our family – sometimes “the perfect meal” means that even my pickiest child loved it (although he set the cashews aside). You can’t ask for more than that when the whole family loves a meal!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 C. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 C. cashews

Directions:
Put flour and pepper in a large Zip-lock bag (or an extra plastic fruit bag) place thawed chicken in bag and shake to coat. Add oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high, add chicken and brown slightly on both sides.
Meanwhile mix up the sauce in a small bowl and add to the slow cooker. When chicken is browned, add to the sauce and cover. Heat on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.
Serves about 6.

Angel's tip: If you find yourself in a hurry, you can cook the chicken barely covered in water or broth for four hours on high, then remove most of the water, add the sauce, thicken with 2 Tbsp. flour or cornstarch. One family member preferred their cashews crunchier, so setting some aside may be a good idea.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here’s a recipe that is sure to please the whole family, and it’s healthy too! It’s good to the last bite!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
3/4 C. sugar or brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 C. cold water plus 1/4 C., divided
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube)
7 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. pineapple juice
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 can pineapple tidbits or chunks
1 green bell pepper, diced
1-2 carrots, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile make the sauce by combining water, vinegar, pineapple juice, bouillon, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch. I like to boil the bouillon cube in the water in microwave for 2 minutes, and use a little extra cold water, 1/4 C., to mix the cornstarch, stir until smooth, then add to other mixture. Stir to combine.
When chicken is browned, remove and cut into bite-size pieces.
With chicken set aside, stir fry the bell pepper, carrots and onion (add a little bit of oil, and water if needed). Stir fry for 3 minutes, until vegetables are slightly tender, add chicken, and pour the sauce mixture over. Boil over medium-high until it thickens – should thicken quickly – and let simmer for 10 minutes. At the last minute add the pineapple chunks.
Serve with rice.
Makes 6 servings.

Cilantro Noodles

Sometimes you can find great recipes while waiting somewhere. This one comes from a magazine at the local dentist’s office – unfortunately, I didn’t catch the name of the magazine, but it had loads of delicious-looking recipes!
Cilantro and noodles – I thought, "What could be better?"
Now, if you don’t care for cilantro, try using chopped green onions instead for the great color and taste.
This is an easy recipe, and I happened to have the ingredients on hand last night – I bought shallots the other day while I was thinking about the recipe.
Even my youngest loved it, and wanted seconds! There wasn’t any left, so next time I’ll double the recipe for my family.

3 pkgs. Top Ramen (you won’t need the flavor packets)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. (1-2) shallots, peeled and chopped finely
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 C. cilantro, chopped

Bring water in a pot to a boil and add Top Ramen. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile heat a skillet over medium heat, add canola and sesame oils and when warm saute diced shallots. Once shallots are soft, deglaze pan with 2 Tbsp. soy sauce. Add chopped cilantro.
With a spaghetti spoon or tongs lift noodles out of pot, draining water off, and add to the skillet. Toss and serve warm.

Serves 4-5 as a side.

Angel’s Tip: Add egg strips or cooked diced chicken to make it a meal. For egg strips, cook egg like an omelet, roll up and slice.

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

This to-die-for recipe comes from my sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day. She said it's a favorite for her and her husband Rod. It became my favorite from the first taste! It is worth the effort to find the ingredients you may not have on hand: coconut milk and red curry paste - both can be found on the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Definitely a new treasure for the recipe box!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped - except for a few matchsticks for garnish
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely - except for a few thinly sliced pieces for garnish
1 C. cooked chicken meat, chopped
1 C. uncooked rice
1 pint mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp. red curry paste (for less spice, use 1 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
13.5 oz can Asian coconut milk (lite, unsweetened)
6 C. chicken broth
Optional: 2 Tbsp. fish sauce and a few sprigs of cilantro
Note: Reserve some of the coconut milk, carrots, and red bell pepper (and cilantro) for optional garnish.

Directions:
In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and saute chopped onions, carrots, and red bell pepper for approximately 5 minutes. Add curry paste, brown sugar, chicken, rice, mushrooms and fish sauce stirring until curry paste is completely incorporated (2-3 minutes). Add chicken broth and coconut milk and stir for a half minute. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, covered, until rice is cooked. Serve with a spoonful of coconut milk added on top with a few matchstick carrots and a slice of red bell pepper for garnish. Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken with Rice

I discovered a recipe for a Chinese steamed bun filling which also works well served with rice. The ingredients are fairly basic, and the result is delicious! Served up with Jasmine rice, everyone in the family loved it, even my pickiest eater - now that’s saying a lot!

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, chopped (use 2 tsp. powdered ginger if you don’t have fresh on hand)
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus 1 Tbsp. for cooking chicken
2 Tbsp. white sugar
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 C. water

Directions:
Chop chicken into bite-sized chunks. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. oil. Cook chicken until no longer pink. Season with salt and set pan aside.
Mix together green onions, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oil, sugar and pepper. Stir into the meat. Add water, mix thoroughly, warm through and serve with rice.

Serves 4-5

Torta Rustica, Italian Savory Picnic Pie

I’ve held on to this recipe for several years, it’s so good. But I only make it on special occasions because it does take a little extra time. This recipe is based on one I found from Nick Stellino who used to have a TV cooking show. For my version I skip the eggplant to reduce the number of steps – also some members of my family prefer no eggplant – and I make it on a cookie sheet instead of in a spring-form pan for more servings – the layers are very pretty in a spring-form pan though. A few more servings is a good thing! It disappears quickly, and you want to be sure to have enough!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough, see recipe below, or if you buy store-bought, be sure you have enough to fit a double layer in a cookie sheet.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced Black Forest ham or prosciutto
1 (13 to 15 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained or make it your own (see Angel’s Tips)
1 lb. freshly grated provolone cheese (or slices)
1 C. black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

Serves 12-15

Prepare pizza dough a day ahead. While it is rising, heat 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high, add the onion, saute for one minute, then add the garlic, reduce the heat to medium and saute for 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and mushrooms are limp and dry. Take off the heat and stir in the spinach and ricotta. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out 3/4 of the pizza dough to approximately 1/2 inch thick. Press the dough into lightly oiled cookie sheet. Press the dough up the side of the pan. Layer 1/2 of each ingredient in the pan in the following order: ham, spinach mixture, peppers, cheese and olives. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Roll out the remaining dough to fit over the layered ingredients. Lay it over the top and fold the dough on the sides over the top dough, crimping them together to seal the edges. Give the top several pokes with a fork to allow steam to escape and brush with the beaten egg.

Place the Torta Rustica in the preheated oven and bake about 30 minutes until the internal temperature in the middle reaches 120 F. About 20 minutes into the baking, cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the top from getting too brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serve at room temperature or warm in the oven for 5 minutes or so for a nice crunch. Cut into 12 or 15 pieces.

Angel’s Tip: Olive oil is best, but if all you have is canola oil or vegetable oil, it will work fine. If you’d like to make your own roasted red bell pepper, it’s easy. Simply place the pepper on a baking sheet and broil in the oven. Keep a very close eye on it and turn with tongs every minute or less until it is somewhat blackened. Immerse the pepper in a bowl of cold water and when cool peel the skin off and slice and dice. I usually roast mine outside on the grill, again, turning with tongs every minute or so.

Pizza dough

2 C. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil, or canola or vegetable oil
4-5 plus C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt



Place 2 C. warm water in large mixing bowl. Water should be almost hot, not scalding. Add yeast and sugar and whisk a little. Place in warm spot for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Mix the salt into the flour and add 4 cups of the flour, add more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Dust counter with flour with extra on the side. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until elastic. It should not stick to your hands too much, yet not be too dry.

While kneading soak the bowl in warm water. When done, rinse and dry the bowl add a tiny bit of oil (a teaspoon or so) and place dough in bowl getting oil on both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot.

The best method is to let it double in size and then punch down and refrigerate over night. This gives it a better texture, like you find at a pizzeria. If you - like me usually - didn’t think ahead far enough to stick it in the fridge, use the dough at this point for the picnic pie. Sometimes I only let it rise for 30 minutes if I’m in a hurry.

Angel’s Tip: Always looking for a faster way, I usually add the flour to the water and yeast mixture, top it with the salt and, using the teaspoon, stir the salt into the flour then mix it all together with a wooden spoon.

When making a regular pizza, I make it in a cookie sheet and use 1 1/4 C. water, 1 Tbsp. yeast, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3-4 plus C. flour and 1 tsp. salt.

Heavenly Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I found this recipe on my niece’s Pinterest page via Facebook. I’m not set up on Pinterest yet, but would love to try it sometime – when I have oodles of hours to kill!
Since chicken enchiladas are a family favorite, I end up making them at least once a month. I had been making them with all the sauce inside and just cheese on top, but I’m sold on trying it the way this recipe suggests – and with homemade cream of chicken it is sooooo very good.
I made 12 of these so that each family member could have two if they wanted – they disappeared quickly! No leftovers!
See my tip at the bottom, in case you don’t have chicken broth or want to lower the fat content.
Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve discovered? Feel free to share it with me at angel@bmeagle.com, and please send a picture if possible. Thanks!

1 lb. chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 C. grated Colby-jack cheese or other
1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. flour
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth
1 C. sour cream
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

In a skillet, add oil and cook chicken and chopped onion until chicken is just done.
Divide cooked chicken in equal portions between the 8 tortillas. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of cheese to each.
Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil then roll enchiladas and place seam side down.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Whisk over medium heat continually until bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth, then bring to a boil, still whisking.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies. Pour sauce evenly over enchiladas then top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Angel’s Tips: When I made these last week, I didn’t have any chicken broth in the pantry, so I cooked my chicken with 2 C. water and 1-2 tsp. chicken bouillon, simmering for 25-30 minutes with the lid on.
Since my two youngest don’t care for spice or sight of little green chilies, I poured 1/2 of the creamy sauce over enchiladas on one side of the pan, added the green chilies and poured it over the other half.
To lower the fat content, omit butter and use 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, instead of flour, mixed with a 1/4 C. cold water, also use light or fat-free sour cream and less cheese.

Summer Sandwiches

When it’s hot out and turning the oven or stove top on just sounds like a bad idea, try these sandwiches – of course, they taste delicious anytime of the year. They're easy to make and our family loved them. If you have any picky little ones, they may wish to opt out on some of the ingredients, so gather up their orders and make half with “the works” and the other half a whittled down version, if needed.
Make it a picnic, and enjoy! If you try one of these sandwiches, let me know what you think!

Dad’s Sandwich

Our family calls this simple yet delicious sub “Dad’s Sandwich” because my husband invented it – I love it when he takes a turn in the kitchen, and it’s always something wonderful!

Ingredients:
2 French bread loaves
2 packages of your choice of meat, such as turkey and ham
1 package Provolone cheese
1 package shredded iceberg lettuce, or shred your own with thin slices
2 large tomatoes, sliced
Stackers pickles, we like Bread and Butter flavor
Ranch dressing, we use Hidden Valley Light
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Slice loaves completely in half, layer the meat, one variety on top of the other – we use about 10 slices of each meat across each sandwich. Top with Provolone cheese, 8-10 slices, and lettuce. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Add tomatoes and pickles and sprinkle with pepper if desired. Dig in!
Makes 8 large sandwiches.

Sicilian Submarine Sandwich

I remember a little shop that my dad used to go to when I was young that had this type of a sandwich served – the place smelled heavenly, and I’ve always wanted to try that kind of sandwich.
It was very tough to find all the ingredients locally, so I went with my own version. To get a nice bread texture and to melt the cheese, I lit the gas grill, on low, and placed the sandwich on some foil and closed the lid for about three minutes. Toasting the sandwiches in the oven for 3-4 minutes at 450 degrees F would also work.
Someday, I’ll hunt down the authentic ingredients and give it a try – I’ll list those special ingredients below the recipe. This makes about 3 sandwiches.

Vinaigrette ingredients:
1/2 C. light olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash ground black pepper
Dash salt
Dash garlic powder

1 baguette, about 20+ inches long
1 C. red onion, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of shredded green leaf lettuce
1 package deli-style ham slices
1 package Genoa salami slices
1 package Provolone cheese
2 oz. roasted red peppers, can make homemade
4-5 small basil leaves, fresh
tomatoes, sliced

1. In a small bowl mix the vinaigrette and add the onion slices. Marinate for an hour or more, if possible.
2. Cut baguettes open without slicing all the way through, and brush marinade on both sides.
3. Add lettuce and sliced meats to your liking.
4. Top with Provolone, red peppers, tomatoes, then basil leaves.
5. Grill the sandwiches one at a time, or place in 450 degree F oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese is slightly melted.
6. Slice to make 3 sandwiches.

Those hard-to-get ingredients (deli-sliced, if possible):
2 oz. prosciutto ham (instead of Black Forest)
2 oz. capocollo
2 oz. mortadella
2 oz. Genoa salami

Also, you can see from my picture that I used lettuce shreds that I had on hand, instead of the green leaf lettuce.

Angel’s tip: To make your own roasted red bell pepper throw one or two on the grill, or in the oven in a pan on broil, turning occasionally until blackened. Then place in a bowl of ice water. After it has cooled, peel the skin off and slice, removing the stem and seeds. Place slices on sandwich before toasting.

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I just received this recipe from my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day.
These look scrumptious – a “buffalo wing” twist on taquitos!
I don’t know why I’ve never thought to make homemade taquitos. I think my family – including my four growing boys – would love these, and I may have to make a double batch just to keep up with them!

Rachel serves these with Red Rice and her El Mercado’s Mexican Coleslaw - a recipe that is also available on my blog.

Load your plate up and enjoy!

Ingredients: 
4 C. cooked, shredded chicken
12 soft taco, flour tortillas
2 C. grated mozzarella cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C. Franks Hot Sauce
1/3 C. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Melt butter in small saucepan over med low heat. Add Mrs. Dash and garlic powder. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and completely combined with butter and spices.
Wisk in hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Add salt to taste. Combine chicken and sauce.
Lay out warmed tortillas, fill each with about 1/4-1/3 C. chicken and 2 Tbsp. shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Tightly roll up each taquito and place on greased baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken mixture is used.
Brush taquitos with vegetable oil on all sides.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Rotate every 5 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with blue cheese dressing if desired.

Greek Gyros

A craving for Greek Gyros (pronounced year-ohs) overcame me a while ago and I spent a Saturday afternoon making everything needed, down to homemade soft pita bread. Other than a couple pitas that got a little overdone I was totally pleased with the results. Gyros are traditionally made with lamb or pork – you'll notice from the picture that I used beef that day – but this recipe is for chicken.

My guess is that the nearest Greek restaurant is hundreds of miles away from John Day, Oregon – the last time I remember having a Gyro was at the county fair in Redmond last summer. So, rather than driving for hours to a city to find a Gyro, I decided to buckle down and make one myself.

In my opinion, each part to the recipe is important: the fresh soft pita bread, the tasty marinated chicken, using a grill or skillet, and the tzatziki sauce, so I’ll include instructions for making each component. If you don't like to make bread from scratch, see if there are any packages of soft pita bread or soft Indian Naan bread at your local store.

Of course, for Gryos, the pita is wrapped around the ingredients – chicken, lettuce, spinach, red onion slices and chopped tomatoes – and topped with the delicious tzatziki sauce! Definitely worth the effort!

Tasty chicken marinade:

1/2 C. olive oil
1/2 C. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine marinade ingredients in a large Zip-Lock bag, reserve 1/4 C. marinade for basting, add chicken last, mixing around to coat. Marinate in refrigerator overnight or while at work. No Zip-Locks? Use a plastic container with tight fitting lid or casserole dish, making sure to coat the chicken well.

Prep grill before lighting by spraying rack with cooking oil or brushing with oil. Grill chicken over medium heat, closing lid, and turning after about 4 minutes or so. Brush with extra marinade and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside (170 degrees in the thickest part if using a meat thermometer).

If you don’t have a grill, then cook chicken in a skillet. Preheat the skillet at medium high. Add the chicken and marinade and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer then cover, cooking for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

When chicken is done shred it with two forks.

Tzatziki Sauce:

1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 tsp. dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
2 small containers of plain Greek yogurt

Mix first four ingredients in a food processor. In a small bowl, add yogurt, then add cucumber mixture and stir in salt and pepper to taste. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Angel’s tip: The last time I made this I could not find small containers of plain Greek yogurt in my local store (only large-sized), so I took a chance and subbed with honey-flavored Chobani Greek yogurt. The honey taste was so mild, it worked just fine!

Wraparound Pita Bread:

3/4 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 C. flour
1-2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
warm water

Heat up oven for about 30 seconds at 150 degrees, then turn off (make sure it’s off!).
Combine yeast and sugar and stir in 1 C. warm water. Place mixture in the warmed oven and allow to ferment for 10 minutes.

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture in and stir. Mix and knead dough with hands gradually adding about half a cup of warm water. Mix until dough doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl or to fingers. On a flat surface, lightly floured, knead the dough about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic adding a drop of water if needed.

Now gradually add the oil, kneading the dough well. Place in bowl and cover with a cloth. Place in the oven that is turned to off. Let double in size, about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C.). Knead dough again for about 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide dough into six equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface in a circle about 1/4-inch thick.

Place two pitas at a time on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake on lower rack about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Pitas should be white and soft.

Wrap the baked pitas in a clean towel until cool and store in plastic bags.

Angel’s Tip: I recommend doubling the pita recipe if you have a family who loves bread, or you want to share this with friends! It was suggested that I place a pan of water in the oven on a higher rack as the gyros bake – I’ll try that next time.

Now assemble your gyros, wrap the pita around your ingredients: the chicken with your choice of lettuce, spinach, red onion slices and chopped tomato. Top with tzatziki sauce and enjoy all your hard work!

Thai Sweet 'n' Sour Drumsticks

Makes 10-12 servings.

I adapted this recipe from a news clipping I found several years ago. I've tried it before and enjoyed it very much.

Ingredients:
1 large package of chicken drumsticks (about 16)
Ingredients for marinade:
1/2 C. honey
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
zest of two limes
juice of one lime (2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Place marinade ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Place thawed chicken in a dish and pour 1/2 of marinade over, brush on all sides. Reserve the other half of marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Grill drumsticks, brushing with reserved marinade, on low heat until done. Other options would be to bake the chicken in the oven on a foil-covered baking sheet at 400 F degrees for 30 minutes and finish by grilling on the barbecue or, if not using a grill, bake at 400 F degrees in oven for 40 minutes or until done.

Grilled Polynesian Tenderloin Tip Kebabs with Bacon, Pineapple and Peppers

Grilled Polynesian Tenderloin Tip Kebabs with Bacon, Pineapple and Peppers
This is a recipe I found in a cookbook from the library awhile back. It's perfect for summer grilling, and I would imagine that chicken would also work as a substitute, if that option sounds good to you.

Ingredients:
4 slices thick-cut bacon or thick slices of slab bacon
For the glaze:
1/3 C. molasses
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 lbs. tenderloin tips, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
16 1-inch cubes fresh pineapple (about ½ pineapple)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch squares

Directions:
Light grill. In a small saute pan, cook the bacon over med. High heat until it is cooked through but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels or a brown paper bag, then cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the molasses, lime juice, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside. Dry the tenderloin tips with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the tenderloin tips with the sesame oil and salt and pepper, thoroughly coating the meat. Thread the beef, bacon, pineapple and red peppers alternately onto skewers. When the fire has died down and the coals are medium hot (can hold hand 5 inches from the grill surface for 3-4 seconds) place the kebabs on the grill and cook, turning once for 5-6 minutes per side for rare. During the last 30 seconds or so of cooking, brush the kebabs heavily with the glaze. Check for doneness by making a 1/4-inch cut in the thickest part of the meat. Remove kebabs from the grill, drizzle with the remaining glaze and serve hot.

Angel's tip: Since I only own a propane grill, I'll be trying this recipe on it. Once I try it, I'll add a picture - the flavor combinations sound perfect!

Carne de Mexico

This delicious recipe comes from the kitchen of Alonso Estrello of Mexico who was an exchange student with Rozanne Mullin of John Day a couple years ago. Alonso made this recipe once when our family was over for dinner. The dish is flavorful and impressive!

Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 black pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 round steak, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 C. cheddar cheese, cubed
1 C. mozarella cheese, cubed

Directions:
Saute first seven ingredients with 1 Tbsp. oil. Cook steak in separate pan with the other tablespoon of oil, add salt and pepper to the steak if desired. When vegetables and steak are ready, top with the cheeses and serve. Serves about 4.

Summer Salsa

Fresh salsa tastes so good on a summer day - or any day in my book. I found a recipe for Blender Salsa from the book, “Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking” by Sandra Woodruff, RD. I never knew making salsa at home would be so easy. I’ve made this several times, and I’ve adapted the recipe to my tastes and doubled it. It’s especially good using fresh tomatoes (just under two lbs. is about right) - just blanch the tomatoes for one minute and when cool, peel the skins off and chop.

2 14.5 oz. cans whole or diced tomatoes
1 C. onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2-4 Tbsp. jalapeno peppers, chopped
1/4 - ½ C. cilantro, minced
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend for 5-10 seconds. The mixture should be slightly chunky. Place salsa to a serving dish, cover, and chill for several hours to blend the flavors. Serve with tortilla chips.

This recipe fits nicely in a quart jar. If you use unsalted tomatoes, add 1 tsp. of salt.

Pasta in Chorizo & Tomato Sauce Recipe - Macaroni en Salsa de Tomate con Chorizo

Last September, my family hosted a wonderful high school student, Dani, from Segovia, Spain, for three weeks. He brought gifts from Segovia for us, including a cookbook written in Spanish. I tried this pasta recipe with a little help from a similar recipe I found online from Lisa and Tony Sierra at the website below. Since I only speak a little Spanish, the English version was very helpful!

The recipe calls for penne pasta (or pasta of your choice), crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, red bell pepper, Spanish paprika and Spanish chorizo sausage, a firm, dry sausage - I used a Basque chorizo from a local store. See the link for the recipe.

The Sierras say this dish is a very common in Spanish households. For me, it was a new flavor for pasta. The paprika and chorizo give this dish a unique, delicious taste - muy bueno!

Click here for: Pasta In Chorizo & Tomato Sauce recipe

Indian snack food rates a 'yum'

Nicole Towers with Samosa

JOHN DAY – Here’s a recipe from Nicole Towers for Samosa, a typical Indian snack food served to guests at home and at weddings and parties.

Towers, a former resident of John Day and a graduate of Grant Union High School, first tried this recipe while visiting Pujab, India.

In January last year she married Mohan Pal in Punjab.

She observed her husband’s aunt making Samosa and after returning to the United States a year ago found a recipe online with a similar taste.

Many people from the Punjab region, including Pal and his family, are vegetarian. Towers has also adopted vegetarianism.

"It’s fun to try out vegetarian recipes on people who are not vegetarians," she said, noting that the taste-testers think they will get a bite of something bland.

That’s not the case with Samosa which is traditionally made with garam masala which means “hot paste.” It’s a basic blend of ground spices common in India and other South Asian dishes. If this spice is not available, curry may be substituted.

The heat of the spices may be customized according to your own taste.

Samosa is served with a green sauce, Cilantro Chutney.

The crunchy triangles may also have meat, such as beef or chicken, added to the potatoes, if desired.

Towers usually makes her own pastry and fries the Samosa, but says Puff Pastry can also be used - just bake until golden.

After trying Towers’ recipe, all I can say is, "Yum!"


Samosa Recipe

Samosa Recipe

From Nicole Towers



For the pastry: 2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. water

For the stuffing:
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool
4 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Cup (175 g) shelled peas
1 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chili, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. very finely chopped fresh green cilantro
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. garam masala, or curry to substitute
1 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
oil for deep frying
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons of oil and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add about 4 tablespoons water – or a tiny bit more – and gather the dough into a stiff ball.
Empty the ball out on to clean work surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball. Rub the ball with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and slip it into a plastic bag. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer.
Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch dice. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until brown at the edges. Add the peas, ginger, green chili, fresh cilantro, and 3 Tbsp. water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until peas are cooked. Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the frying pan seems to dry out.
Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, garam masala, roasted cumin, and cayenne. Stir to mix. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so. Check balance of salt . You may want more. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into eight balls. Keep 7 covered while you work with the eight. Roll this ball out into a 7 inch (18 cm) round. Cut it into half with a sharp, pointed knife. Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4 inch wide (5 mm), overlapping seam. Glue this seam together with a little water. Fill the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture. Close the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little water. Again, your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press the top seam down with the prongs of a fork or flute it with your fingers. Make 7 more samosas.
Heat about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) of oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. You may use a small, deep, frying pan for this or an Indian wok. When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer. Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
If you are not accustomed to deep frying, using the Puff Pastry and baking method is recommended.
Cilantro Chutney (serve with Samosa)
1 bunch cilantro leaves (stems removed)
1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 green jalepeno pepper, seeded
1/2 onion, diced
1 C. plain yogurt
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth, about one minute.
Naan (soft flat bread)
2/3 C. warm water (110 F)
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. butter
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
2 tsp. onion seed (optional)
Whisk warm water with yeast and sugar until dissolved. cover and let stand 10 minutes in a warm place.
Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add yeast mixture, half of the butter and all of the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on floured surface, five minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let stand 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough then knead five minutes. Divide dough into six balls. Roll each ball into 8-inch round discs.
Cover an oven tray with foil. Brush Naan with remaining oil and sprinkle with onion seed. Cook Naan one at a time under a very hot grill. Cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly puffy and browned. Turn and brush with butter and cook another 2-4 minutes.
Raita (yogurt with cucumber) - Punjab, North India
2 C. plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
Combine all ingredients and serve chilled.

Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)

From KalynsKitchen.com

Makes about 3 1/2 cups. You can cut the recipe in half, but it's so good, you really shouldn't. Recipe courtesy of Georgette.

3 C. Greek Yogurt (available at Chester’s) or regular plain yogurt, strained

juice of one lemon (about 3 T)

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced

About 1 Tbsp. kosher salt for salting cucumbers

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

If you don't have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt. Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Dice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

In food processor with steel blade, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

(In my rush, I skipped salting the cucumbers when I made it. -AC)

Kalyn's Chicken Souvlaki

From KalynsKitchen.com


This is traditionally made with lamb, but is also good with beef or pork chops. This Greek recipe is good served with Tzatziki sauce made from yogurt, cucumbers, onions, garlic, and dill. The recipes could also be used in gyros (pronounced yeeros) which I’ve tried and liked. The meat is placed in a soft flat bread, with lettuce and tomatoes and topped with Tzatziki – mouthwatering!

-AC

Chicken Souvlaki

Makes 4-6 servings

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

skewer sticks (if using wooden, soak in water first)

Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 T red wine vinegar

1 T finely minced garlic (or garlic puree from a jar)

1 T dried oregano (use Greek or Turkish oregano)

1 tsp. dried thyme

Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken breasts, then cut each bread into about 6 crosswise strips. (I made the strips about 1 inch thick.) Put chicken strips into large Ziploc bag or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and thyme and stir together with a whisk or spoon. Pour marinade into Ziploc bag or plastic container, seal, and squeeze bag or turn container over and shake gently so all pieces of meat are well-coated with marinade. Put into refrigerator and marinate 8 hours or more.

To get ready to grill, remove chicken from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, then drain chicken pieces and thread onto skewers. I put six pieces on each skewer, and folded over each piece of chicken so it wouldn't spin around on the skewers. Spray grill with nonstick spray or mist with olive oil, then preheat gas or charcoal barbecue grill to medium high. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.)

Grill skewers about 12-15 minutes, turning often. Souvlaki is done when the chicken is slightly browned and firm, but not hard to the touch.

Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.

In a conversation with Elaine Mezzo who runs a bed and breakfast in John Day she suggested alternating vegetables and meat on the kebobs, like green and red bell peppers and mushrooms with a little salt and pepper and brushed with olive oil. Also, brush pita bread with olive oil and crisp on the grill to serve with the sauce. Thanks Elaine!

Thai Chicken and Rice Soup

While this recipe does call for fish sauce, trust me, it is not even slightly fishy tasting - it just adds to the overall flavor, which is very good!
8 C. chicken stock
4 C. water
1 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
2 C. loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves plus 1/2 C. chopped
1 C. jasmine rice
3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise, then slices cut lengthwise into thin strips
1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well
1/4 lb. snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/4 inch strips
2 Tbsp. Asian fish sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
Combine stock, water, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds and whole cilantro leaves in a 3 to 4 quart saucepan, simmer, uncovered until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour through a paper towel lined sieve into a 5 to 6 quart heavy pot and discard solids. Stir rice into soup and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add chicken and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir coconut milk, snow peas, and fish sauce and simmer, uncovered, until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, salt and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 8 main course settings.