Chicken Breast with Chili Sauce & Lime with Spicy Green Beans

Adapted from Asian the essential recipe collection    

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast pounded thin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tsp brown sugar

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp chili sauce

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp sugar free cherry preserves

½ cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Fresh cooked rice (I used jasmine rice)

Directions:

Place the chicken breast in a nonmetallic dish.

Mix the garlic, sugar, lime juice, say sauce, and chili sauce together in a bowl, then spoon, over the chicken breast, turning well to coat evenly. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Heat a large, heavy-bottom skillet until very hot and brush with the oil. Add the chicken breast, and cook 5 minutes, or until brown turn the chicken over.

Continue cooking on the other side 3-4 minutes to brown. Add the reserved marinade, cherry preserve, and stock and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual serving plates, serve on a bed of rice and spoon over the pan juices and serve hot.

Spicy Green Beans

Adapted from Asian the essential recipe collection

Ingredients:

5 ½ oz green beans trimmed

2 tbsp olive oil

4 dried chilies, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely sliced

6 thin slices of gingerroot

2 scallions, white part only, cut in diagonally into thin pieces

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Blanch the beans in a large pan of boiling water for 30 seconds.
Drain and set aside. In a preheated work or deep pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Over low heat, stir-fry the beans for about 5 minutes, or until they are beginning to wrinkle.
Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the chilies until they are fragrant.
Add the garlic, gingerroot, and scallions and stir-fry until begin to soften. Throw in the beans and toss, then add the sea salt and serve immediately.

Fried Hamburgers with an Attitude and Oven Baked Fries with Basil and Parmesan Cheese

My husband like hamburgers  and spicy dishes so I created this hamburger recipe for him.

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground sirloin, preferably good quality

1 half onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed or a pinch of garlic powder
1 dash Worcestershire sauce(about 1 tablespoon)
fresh ground pepper

Salt

1 -2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Divide mixture into 4 equal balls and mold into patties. Salt and pepper each patty. Do not make the mistake of compressing the meat too much. Instead, you want to loosely pack the meat into the shape of a patty. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add your patties and fry on both sides until brown. This process isn’t meant to cook the patties, just to brown the outside so that you have a nice crust to bite into. Reduce the heat and allow the patties to fry until they reach 160 degrees F.

Serve with a thin slice of onion, some fresh spinach leave, a slice of tomato.

Oven Baked Fries with Basil and Parmesan cheese

The trick to these oven fries is a hot, hot oven…

Ingredients:

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 lb russet potatoes

4 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

1 Tbsp sugar (I use truvia)

1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wash potatoes and slice into ½ inch strips.

In a large bowl, combine the water with 1 tsp of the salt and the sugar. Drop the potatoes slices into the water solution, and soak for 5 minutes. Drain, and pat the potatoes dry with a towel.

In a large bowl toss the potatoes together with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the olive oil.

Spread the potatoes slices in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, dried basil and garlic powder.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes. Turn the fries over with a spatula, and raise the oven temperature to

500 degrees F. Bake an additional 5 minutes, until the fries are crisp and golden.

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

Here is a surefire recipe for perfect tasting lemonade.

Ingredients:

2 tsp sugar (I used truvia)

4 lemons

2 cups cold water

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Use a juicer to extract juice from 4 lemons (or squeeze by hand).

Add the juice, sugar, salt and water to a pitcher and stir.

Serve with ice and sliced lemons.

Serves 2

Chicken Tacos with Charred Tomatoes

From EatingWell

2 servings

Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes, cored

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions, chopped

6 small corn tortillas, heated (see Tip)

Directions:

Heat a medium skillet over high heat until very hot. Add tomatoes and cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until charred on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Remove cores and chop the remaining pulp and skin.

Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan and heat over high heat until very hot. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add lime juice, the chicken and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and scallions. Divide the chicken mixture among tortillas.

Tips & Notes

Tip: Wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 297 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 27 g protein; 2 g fiber; 415 mg sodium; 463 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium & Vitamin C (30% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 3 very lean meat, 1 fat

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Homemade Chinese Fried Rice

 

Try this for breaded pork tender loin that is lightly crunchy on the outside, and full of flavor on the inside.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Nature’s seasoning

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Slice the tenderloin into ¼ inch rounds. Place rounds in large zip lock baggie and pound until thin.

Beat egg and water together and pour into a bowl and set aside. In a separate dish or bowl combine breadcrumbs and panko bread crumbs together and set aside.  Sprinkle each medallion with salt, pepper and nature’s seasoning on both sides.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, dip tenderloin in egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture. When oil is hot, add coated tenderloin to skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides and meat has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Fennel Seed Tea

From: Dr. Oz

This is very tasty cup of tea!!

Dr Oz says that Fennel Seed Tea is a great way to turn off signals that activate Cancer Cells.  You can either buy Fennel Tea or you can take the actual Fennel Seeds, smash them up with the back of a spoon to release the oils, and then mix about 1.5 tsp of the Fennel Seeds in a cup of warm water.  Strain out the seeds and you will have a sweet licorice tasting tea that fights Cancer!

Honey Lime Pork Chop with Homemade Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients:

4 (4oz) lean boneless pork chops

1 package Onion Soup Mix

1 tbsp chopped scallions

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

1/8 tsp ground ginger (I used fresh)

Dash of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Start by making the marinade. In a medium size bowl, combine all ingredients, except the pork chops. Place ½ of the marinade into a 8x8 inch baking dish. Place the pork chops on top followed by the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours (2 hours minimum), turning occasionally. Remove the pork chops from the marinade, discarding and left over marinade. Grill or broil the pork chops, turning only once, until the pork chops are done.

Homemade Chinese Fried Rice

Recipe adapted from Family Fun/ Andrea Leland

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup bell pepper, diced into ½ -inch pieces. (I used a combination of red, yellow and orange mini peppers)      

1/3 cup carrot, diced in small pieces.
3/4 cup celery ribs, thinly sliced                                                                                                      

3/4 cup chopped onion                                                                                                                       

1 to 2 cups snow peas, cut into ½- pieces
1 small can baby corn, drained and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 cups cold cooked white or brown rice (must be cooked cold rice)
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/4 cup green onion thinly sliced for garnish

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, snow peas, ginger in it for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, scallions, and baby corn and cook for 30 seconds more, and then stir in the rice.  Drizzle on the soy sauce and sesame oil.
Toss the rice well and cook it for 2 more minutes or until heated through. Serve at once, or cool and reheat within 48 hours.

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

If delicious and healthy could be used to describe a recipe, I think this would be the recipe. I took a recipe I found for a simple chicken and spinach soup with pesto and made some changes and came up with this delicious but healthy soup. I think it will become one of your favorite soup recipes as well.
 
Ingredients .

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup carrot chopped

1 cup diced red bell pepper chopped

1 large onion chopped

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chucks

2 large clove garlic, minced

5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram

6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed

Basil Pesto

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot, bell pepper, onion and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Combine 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.

To serve spoon a teaspoon of the homemade basil pesto swirl in soup and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Steamed Clams and Scallops with White Wine & Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

¼ cup water

1 lb clams

1lb bay scallops

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion starts to soften and garlic starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add wine and water. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add clams cover tightly, and cook until clams open; 4 to 5 minutes (discard any that do not open).

Stir in scallops cook for 1 minute. Stir in basil and chopped tomatoes if desired. Serve over warm pasta and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (optional). 

Lemon Filled Long Johns with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)

1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Oil for deep-fat frying

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt and egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough flour to form soft dough.

Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Cut into 3-in. x 1-in. rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 400°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:

2 oz semisweet chocolate chopped

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 Tbsp boiling water

1 tsp vanilla

For chocolate frosting, in a microwave, melt chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread over cooled long johns; let stand until set.