Recipe: Shredded BBQ Chicken

BBQ is a wonderful thing but without a grill the task to make it can be a bit more difficult.  To overcome this I cooked the chicken first, shredded it, then coated with sauce so that the chicken would bring something to the table on its own without the sauce doing all the heavy lifting.

You will need:

Chicken breasts (one per person you are serving)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's for its sweetness and tang)
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Pepper
Oil

Season the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne.  In a large saute pan heat around one teaspoon of veggie oil over high heat.  When the pan is hot add the chicken breasts and cook for 8-9 minutes, flip and cook for 8-9 more minutes until you see no pink and the juices are running clear.  When the chicken is cooked wrap the pieces in aluminum foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes so the juices can redistribute into the meat.  Then shred the chicken using two forks.  Place the chicken in the bowl and toss with the sauce.  Remember you can always add sauce but you cannot remove it so add a little at a time until it is covered to your liking.

Serves: One chicken breast per person

Recipe: Spring Mix Udon

There is something about soup from any ethnicity that is comforting.  I happen to love udon noodles, which are a thick and white japanese noodle, and I was pleased when I found them at a local supermarket.  This dish is also great because it can easily be adapted to vegetarian or vegan.  Simply substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.  You can use any type of mushrooms that you find on sale and feel free to add chunks of chicken, think sliced steak, or small meatballs if you wished.  What I like about this dish is the spring mix salad that is wilted into the sauteed veggies.  At about 10 calories a serving raw the mix adds texture, vitamins, and interest to the soup at practically no consequence.

You will need:

One 32oz box chicken or vegetable stock (or 32oz of homemade stock)
32oz water (fill up the stock box again)
2 bundles udon noodles (mine came 3 bundles to a pack)
1 pack baby portobello mushrooms
1 bag/box Spring Mix Salad (about 4 handfuls total)
1 small cooking onion
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
4-6 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper

If the mushrooms are whole begin by cleaning the tops with a damp paper towel and removing the stems.  If they are baby mushrooms leave them whole, if they are regular size button or cremini mushrooms either quarter or slice.  Chop the onion in half, remove the skin, and then slice into thin half moons.  In a large saute pan add the olive oil and saute the onion and mushrooms over medium high heat until both are tender.  Add salt, pepper, and carrots.   In a medium-large pot add the chicken stock, water, and 3 teaspoons soy sauce and turn on high heat.  In the saute pan add a handful of the spring mix at a time and allow to wilt and stir into the vegetables until the bag/box is finished.  Add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce after the first handful.

When the broth begins to boil add the udon noodles and cook according to the package instructions.  Mine cooked for four minutes.  Then add the sauteed veggie mix into the soup and stir to combine.  Cover and turn off heat and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving for the flavors to incorporate with each other.

Eat however you like, I used chopsticks for the noodles/veggies and then just drank the broth.

Serves 6-8

Review: Snyder's "Pounder" White Corn Tortilla Chips

One reason for this review post is that I have had a crazy work week and been living off of PBJ's and Caesar salads the past few days...ergo not much cooking.  The second reason is because these chips are great.

If you had asked me two weeks ago what Snyder's made I would have only said pretzels, little did I know they also made chips.  These white corn tortilla chips are crisp and sturdy with just enough salt to give flavor but not overwhelm the chip.  This works well with dips too as the chip accentuates the dip without taking away from the flavor.  It is also strong enough to get a good scoop without fracturing into the dip leading to sadness and frustration.  The bag also feels weighty given that there are a pound of chips and I felt that I got my money's worth, especially at 2 bags for $5, remember that some chip bags can cost $5 on their own so this was a great deal.

The only negative I had was completely superficial.  Being used to either yellow tortilla chips or white tortilla chips with a bit more flecking the chips do look rather bland, though they also look like they actually were cut from tortillas and fried which is nice.  Also, the look belies the taste so don't turn them away because of it!

Outside of their taste they are also seem fairly...or I should say comparatively.... healthy.  One serving (~13 chips) has 140 calories, 4.5g of fat, and only 5% of your daily sodium.  The chips are fried in Canola Oil and purport to have 40% less fat than regular tortilla chips.  They also pack 2g of fiber and 2g of protein so combined with a hummus, bean, or guacamole type dip you could easily make a filling snack without feeling guilty.

Recipe: Salmon Sandwich

Leftovers can be rough, especially when you try and utilize them in new ways.  While this may not have reinvented the sandwich it was tasty...and would have been even tastier if I had some thick cut bacon on hand (feel free to add that to the recipe if you so wish).  The great thing about this sandwich is the double goodness of fiber and protein.  The bread gives you 10g (5g per slice) of fiber and the fish is a great source of lean protein, sure to help keep you full.  I am not a big mayo fan so instead I tossed a little bit of lettuce in Caesar dressing.

I used:

1 4oz portion of Miracle Marinade Salmon (though any seasoning you like would work)
2 pieces Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat bread
Lettuce
Caesar dressing

In a toaster toast the bread so it is just beginning to darken (low or medium low).  In a bowl toss a handful of lettuce with the dressing to just coat.  Place the lettuce on the toasted bread and top with the salmon fillet, I left mine cold but feel free to reheat if desired.

Additional toppings could include bacon, avocado, red onion, or red pepper etc.

Recipe: Miracle Marinade Salmon

Here we go with another Miracle Marinade recipe, this one on salmon fillets.  Salmon is one of my favorite fish, not only is it high in omega-3 fatty acids but it has flavor of its own (unlike tilapia or other thin, flaky white fish).  It can also stand up to marinades much better without dissolving into mush.  That being said I would not marinade this more than 3 hours, and even half an hour is enough for the flavor to penetrate.

You will need:
1 batch Miracle Marinade 
1 4oz Salmon Fillet per person served
Salt
Pepper
Veggie Oil for the pan

Lightly salt and pepper each side of the salmon fillet leaving the skin on the fish.  Then cover with Miracle Marinade, turning to coat each side.  Allow to sit from 30 minutes to around 3 hours depending on your schedule.  Lightly coat the bottom of a skillet with veggie oil and place over high heat.  When the pan is very hot add the fish skin side down and allow to cook for four minutes if the fillet is thin and 6 minutes if the fillet is thick.  Lower the heat to medium and flip the fillets cooking an additional 2-6 minutes as needed.

I served the salmon with a large salad and wild rice pilaf.

Recipe: Spiced Beef and Potatoes

After making the Shepard's EmPIEnada's  I realized that the filling in them was so good it could also be a main dish, without the pie at all.  The spices add depth and flavor to what could easily be boring ground beef and the gravy rounds out the taste and provides a nice velvety texture.  So here is how I prepared it:


1 pound ground beef
1.5 cups frozen veggie mix (my bag had corn, green bean, carrot, and pea)
1 pouch instant garlic mashed potatoes
              Ingredients for boxed mashed potatoes: milk, butter, water
1 packet brown gravy mix
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chile Powder
Garlic Powder


Begin by cooking all the components (meat, potatoes, veggies).  For the meat, after thawing, I seasoned it with a hefty amount of paprika, chile powder, and garlic powder as well as a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
When finished cooking I set it aside on a paper towel covered plate to drain.

For the potatoes, cook according to the box instructions but add the same seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, chile powder, and garlic powder to the liquid and bring to a boil.  Then stir in the packet.

 For the veggies simply boil in water for 5-6 minutes and drain.

Then in the pan you used to cook the meat wipe or pour out any large amounts of grease and prepare the gravy packet in the pan.  When the gravy begins to thicken add the veggies and the meat and stir to combine.

Recipe: Curry Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of those foods that is as exciting or boring as you choose to make it.  After finding some chicken breasts on sale I decided to make a batch, and the results were great.  I don't really prefer a gloppy mayonnaise chicken salad so while I did use some this is a predominantly dijon based.  Also I did not use the standard celery/pecan mix-ins.  Instead I went with some vegetables that gave the same crunch but added more color and flavor.  Finally, the chicken itself was nicely spiced adding flavor to the whole dish.  I have separated the ingredients and steps into the 3 stages of the cooking/putting together process

For the chicken:
5-6 chicken breasts (you can use less, just reduce the rest of the recipe)
Salt
Pepper
2(+) TBS Garlic Powder
2(+) TBSPaprika
2(+) TBSCurry Powder
2(+) TBS Chili Powder

Veggies:
One bunch green onions, sliced
3/4-1 Cup Matchstick Cut Carrots
3/4ths of a Red Bell Pepper in a small dice

For the Sauce:
5 packs of Mayonnaise from a fast food restaurant
1/2 to 3/4ths cup Dijon Mustard (I eyeballed it so I think this is close)
A pinch of salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and curry powder


Lay each chicken breast out and coat with salt, pepper, and the spices.  I would say you use about a tablespoon of each of the garlic powder, paprika, curry powder, and chili powder per one side of all the chicken breasts. They should look something like this:

Heat a pan over high heat with a drizzle of veggie oil in the bottom.  When very hot add in 3 chicken breasts (whatever will easily fit) and cook for 7-8 minutes per side. When cooked remove from pan and let cool on plate while you cook the remaining chicken.  When chicken is cool shred breasts with two forks or cube and set aside.

In a large bowl toss the cooled chicken and the vegetables together. In a smaller bowl mix the sauce and pour over the chicken/vegetable mixture.  Mix with a large spoon until combined.  Serve on bread, in a pita, or over lettuce.

Serves 4-6

Recipe: Shepard's EmPIEnadas

Alright, first off, excuse the pun but I like it to much to call it anything else.  Second, this is not one of those recipes where the newfangled way is easier than the original.  Its not really that much harder but it is still easier just to throw everything into a pie shell and bake.  All that being said, I was very happy with this invention.  I had been thinking about it for a while and finally had eaten through my leftovers so I figured I'd give it a try.  If you want it to be more authentic you could try and find empanada wrappers to stuff, but I just used the frozen rolled up pie shells. The results were tasty and put a new spin on a classic dish.

You will need:

1 box of two rolled pie shells
1 pound ground beef
1.5 cups frozen veggie mix (my bag had corn, green bean, carrot, and pea)
1 pouch instant garlic mashed potatoes
              Ingredients for boxed mashed potatoes: milk, butter, water
1 packet brown gravy mix
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chile Powder
Garlic Powder
A bowl that can be used to cut approximately four circles from each pie crust

Begin by cooking all the components (meat, potatoes, veggies).  For the meat, after thawing, I seasoned it with a hefty amount of paprika, chile powder, and garlic powder as well as a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
When finished cooking I set it aside on a paper towel covered plate to drain.

For the potatoes, cook according to the box instructions but add the same seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, chile powder, and garlic powder to the liquid and bring to a boil.  Then stir in the packet.

 For the veggies simply boil in water for 5-6 minutes and drain.

Then in the pan you used to cook the meat wipe or pour out any large amounts of grease and prepare the gravy packet in the pan.  When the gravy begins to thicken add the veggies and the meat and stir to combine.  Turn off heat and let sit while you prepare the empanada shells.

Unroll the pie crusts one at a time on a floured cutting board.  Use a cereal bowl or other smallish bowl to cut circles from the dough by tracing around it with a sharp knife.  After a set of four is done begin to fill.  Place around one tablespoon of mashed potatoes and around one tablespoon of the meat mixture in each empanada, making sure not to overstuff.  Trace the outside edge of the empanada with water and seal, pushing down on all outside edges.

Place onto a foil lined cookie sheet.  Repeat with the second pie shell and then roll out the scraps to make 2 more empanadas.  You should have 10 total.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are browned and the top is somewhat firm to the touch.  The filling will be very hot so let cool for a few minutes before biting in.

Makes: 10 empanadas

Would pair well with a side salad of some sort to help bulk up the plate and add a temperature contrast to the meal.