Recipes & Memories Image: sxc.hu

The kitchen filled with smoke and the meal wasn’t gourmet by any means. However, as my daughter (her cousin) responded, “At least they tried! That was something.”

Perhaps the boys will give another try if Mother is patient, She’ll have kitchen helpers and sons who can prepare their meals when they’re on their own. Also, my niece will have this as one of those memories to share in years to come.

Why not write down some of these memories about your cooking and your children’s attempts? Also, compile memories about family gatherings and holiday meals. These all mean so much in future years and to future generations. They become part of your family heritage.  Along with this, collect and save family recipes.

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Saving Kids’ Cooking Memories

There are healthy choices and their are rich choices. The possibilities are literally endless for what you can put with chicken! Which is why it is one of my favorite dishes.

I’m going to give you three recipes that I have made and which have gained favorable approval. Such approval I judge by how long it takes for the plate to be cleared and the lack of talking between bites.

My boyfriend and friends alike have all given my stuffed chicken dishes two thumbs up!

Recipe 1: Chicken Breast Stuffed with Goatscheese & Spinach, Topped with Bruschetta Mix

Ingredients:

Large Chicken Breasts

Goatscheese

Baby Spinach

Tomatoes

Basil

Garlic

Olive Oil

Recipe 2: Chicken Breast Stuffed with Apple Slices & Brie, Topped with a Tarragon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

Large Chicken Breasts

Granny Smith Apples (slicked thinly)

Soft Brie

Fresh Tarragon

Whipping Cream

Recipe 3: Chicken Breast Stuffed with Kalamata Olives & Sundried Tomatoes, Topped with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

Large Chicken Breasts

Kalamata Olives (cut in halves)

Whole Sundried Tomatoes (sliced)

Light Tomato Sauce

**********

The key to making stuffed chicken breast is having big enough breasts that can fit all of the above ingredients. Take the breast and slice in the middle and spread the chicken open. Once you have placed your desired ingredients inside the breast fold back over.

Wrap in tinfoil and bake on 350-400 degrees for approx. 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Ideally you want the chicken to be plump and juicy, not dry.

The Toppings:

Making Bruschetta is easier then most people think. But if you are short on time then you can easily find it pre-made.

Plum tomatoes are the best to use. You can either peel them or leave the skins on. Cut into cubes and mix in with minced garlic, chopped basil, and olive oil. Some people add a little white balsamic but that’s based on preference.

Cream sauces are alsoeasy depending on the recipe. My Tarragon Cream Sauce is quite simple. In a pan put a half cup of whipping cream, bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Once the cream begins to thicken you can add the Tarragon. You don’t want to add it too early because it will get limp and loose it’s flavor.  Sometimes I add minced garlic for extra flavor.

Image Credit: stock.xchng

Adding Tomato Sauce is self explanatory if you buy it pre-made. The only thing I suggest is not putting too much on the chicken.

I would also love to hear other stuffed chicken breat ideas! Also, if you have any questions about the above recepies send me a tweet!

@missbrittanydow

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Week Night Dinner Dates: Stuffed Chicken

And if that doesn’t, remember that there are many ways to prepare healthy and nutritious meals with potatoes.  Check out the Potato Goodness Channel on Youtube for many creative ways to prepare this delectable veggie!

Here’s my favorite, Quick and Healthy Ways Potato Shortcuts. Enjoy!

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Quick and Healthy Potato Recipes

This fettuccine recipe is loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables, including the fall flavor of butternut squash. If you’re lucky enough, you might still have some of these ingredients growing in your garden.

I love food with lots of color, and flavor, this recipe definitely delivers (with a little bit of heat added in).

Autumn Harvest Fettuccine

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 4 cups
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco® brand pepper sauce, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or basil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450º F.

Toss butternut squash, leek, red bell pepper, green beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large roasting pan. Roast until vegetables are browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as package directs.

Toss roasted vegetables with fettuccine, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and parsley in large bowl.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Courtesy of  Tobasco

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Autumn Harvest Fettuccine

It turned out delicious so I thought I’d share the recipe here. We topped the pumpkin pie with some TruWhip, which I’ll be back with a review of in the next day or so.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

• 3 cups cooked pumpkin
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Mix all the ingredients together well. Spray 2 pie pans with no stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 425`F, then pour the pumpkin pie mixture into the pie pans. Bake at 425′F for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325′F and bake the pie for another 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Usually I would have this over rice, but I decided I’d try something a little different and serve it over a bed of fresh spinach leaves. It turned out delicious, so I thought I’d share this quick lunch idea with you today.

Saute’dChicken Mushrooms and Almonds Over Spinach Leaves

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts grilled or baked (diced)
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 of a small onion diced
• 1  cup diced carrots
• 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 small handful of almonds, or almond slices

How To Make It:

Saute the carrots, onions, and mushrooms in the oil, then add the chicken and the almonds and heat through. Place one cup of spinach leaves on each plate, pour the chicken vegetable and almond mixture over the top of the leaves and serve.
Image (c) L Gerlach

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Chicken Mushrooms and Almonds Over Spinach

Fall Fruit Salad

• 4 medium apples(peeled, cored, and chopped)
• 1 cup grapes (cut in half)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnut pieces
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and fold them together. The walnuts add a nice crunch, but you could also add a little granola right before you served it for a little extra crunch (or substitute granola for the walnuts if you’re not a walnut fan). Serve it up in little fruit cups, makes about 4 servings.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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An Easy Fall Fruit Salad

Bisque is a type of rich, thick, creamy soup which has been pureed so that it has an even texture. Traditionally, bisque includes seafood, wine or cognac, and cream, along with a mixture of spices. Bisque is related to consomme, which is another rich soup produced through a long cooking process that concentrates flavors for intensity. As the name suggests, bisque has its origins in France, although the dish is prepared all over the world with a wide variety of ingredients.

Here are a few bisque recipes I found online:

*Crab Pot Inn Crab Bisque – This soup features lump crab meat, shrimp, mushrooms, and a touch of cheddar cheese.

*Quick and Easy Seafood Bisque – This recipe utilizes a shortcut with canned chowder as part of the base.

*Scallop Bisque – If you prefer a scallop soup to crab, then this recipe from Southern Food is the one for you.

Image credit: Sxc.hu

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National Seafood Bisque Day

Crab cakes may seem out of the question when you’re watching the family food budget, but canned crab is a fraction of the cost of fresh, equally nutritious, and ready-to-use without worrying about the need to clean the crab of shell. When I’m using it for crab cakes, I usually don’t notice the difference between can and fresh crab.

In this classic recipe, a can of creamed corn (adds a little sweetness and moisture) is added to the cakes, a dash of hot pepper sauce for a little extra kick, and some chopped green onion for a fresh from the garden flavor.

Corn and Crab Cakes
Courtesy of Mealtime.org

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (6 oz each) crabmeat, drained
• 1 can (8.25 oz) cream style corn
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
• 2 medium scallions (green onions), trimmed finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs, divided

Total cost: $7.85

Preparation time: 7 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Preparation:

1. Mix crabmeat, corn, hot sauce, scallions and 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a medium mixing bowl until well blended.
2. Spread the remaining breadcrumbs on a sheet of foil and divide the crab mixture into 8 even portions (about 1/3 cup each). Roll each portion in bread crumbs until the surface is well coated, and form into 1/2-inch thick patties.
3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in some canola or vegetable oil (about 3 tablespoons). When the oil is hot, brown the crab cakes on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Serving Suggestion: Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
Servings: 4
Serving size: 2 crab cakes

Nutrition Information Per Serving (including 3 tablespoons oil used in cooking): Calories 380; Total fat 14g; Saturated fat 1.5g; Cholesterol 75mg; Sodium 760mg; Carbohydrate 39g; Fiber 3g; Protein 24g; Vitamin A 2%DV*; Vitamin C 8%DV; Calcium 15%DV; Iron 15%DV

*Daily Value

This recipe is part of Mealtime.org’s new Kitchen Countdown which features easy recipes for families on the go that require 1 pot; 5 ingredients; cost 10 dollars or less; take 15 minutes or less to prepare and have 400 calories or less per serving.

Image: Mealtime.org

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Meals On The Go: Easy Crab Cake Recipe

Though I love all these meals year-round, they seem to “fit in” better when the leaves are changing and the temperatures dropping. With that in mind, I searched out this week’s link round-up:

~ Curried Lentil Soup from Hungry Cravings

~ Bean and Bacon Soup at For the Love of Cooking

~ Chili from Sugar Crafter

~ Roasted Red Pepper Soup at Gina’s WW Recipes

~ Bacon, Celery and Blue Cheese Soup from She Eats Bears

~ Duck Confit and Bean Stew at The Good Mood Food Blog

~ 30 Minute Yellow Lentil & Roasted Pepper Soup from Coffee and Vanilla

~ Roasted Cauliflower And Potato Soup With Rosemary at Lucullian Delights

~ Japanese Beef Curry from Big, Bold, Beautiful Food

~ Spicy Kale, Chorizo and Winter Squash Soup at Eggs on Sunday

~ Egg Roll Soup from A Thousand Soups

~ Butternut Squash Soup at This Week for Dinner

~ Tortellini Soup with Garlic & Rosemary Infused Broth from Imperrfections

~ Roasted Squash and Sweet Pepper Chili at Delementals

~ Lobster Congee from Eat Club Vancouver

~ Ina Garten’s Cheddar Corn Chowder at Ezra Pound Cake

~ Puerto Rican Beef Stew from The Noshery

~ Skinny Soup at Cooking In Heels

[image: flickr]

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Weekend Foodie Links: Soups, Stews & Chilis