Janet's Chicken Enchiladas
FOODday November 29, 2005
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mild or hot chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded so they are to even thickness
2 tbsp olive oil
2 15 oz cans green enchilada sauce
8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese (2 cups)
8 oz shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
12 8-inch corn tortillas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-by-13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix together salt, chili powder, cumin and pepper.
In a larger bowl, drizzel the chicken breasts with olive oil and rub into each breast to cover. Sprinkle spice mixture over breasts and rub it into them. If using cooked chicken, toss with spice mixture and skip the grilling.
Grill chicken breasts for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Alternately, bake breasts in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from the grill or oven and place on a clean plate; let rest for about 15 minutes. Slice into 1/4-to-1/2-inch strips.
Head both cans of enchilada sauce in an 8-to10-inch saute pan. In a medium bowl, mix cheeses together. Pour 1 cup of warmed sauce into bottom of baking pan.
Over medium heat, with small amount of oil in skillet, heat tortillas individually to soften them. Or, wrap them in a paper towel or clean dish towel and warm them slightly in the microwave.
Divide the chicken strips evenly amoung the tortillas. Add about 2 tbsp cheese mixture to each, roll up and place in prepared pan. When all enchiladas are in pan, cover with remaining sauce and top with the remaining cheese.
Cover pan with parchment paper and then with aluminum foil.
Baked for about 20 monutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the enchiladas are heated through. Uncover for about 5 minutes to brown the cheese.
The Silver Spoon, Phaidon Press
Recommended by FOODday November 29, 2005
Published in Italy more than 50 years ago, this Italian equivalent of our Joy of Cooking has just made its debut in English.
Worth checking out next time I'm in a book store!
Buchanan's Favorite Hazelnut Cookies - Makes about 3 dozen 2-inch cookies.
FOODday October 25, 2005
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups toasted, skinned and ground hazelnuts (see note)
2 cups cake flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and hazelnuts. Stir in the flour. Pat or roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into rounds or rectangles or squares of desired size. With metal spatula, gently place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool completely before removing from the sheet or they'll break. These cookies improve in flavor after a few days. They freeze beautifully. too.
In a microwave or the top half of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips. Dip up to a half of each cookie into the chocolate. Let the excess drip off and then place on wax paper to dry the chocolate. Store in covered containers.
Note: To toast hazelnuts, spread the shelled nuts in a shallow pan and roast in a 350 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden and skins crack. To remove skins, rub nuts while warm with a rough cloth. Grind n a food processor until very fine, but don't overprocess or it will turn into butter.
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
FoodDay October 5, 2005
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 1/2 cups raisons
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the oil, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together until creamy. Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda together.
Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in oatmeal, raisons and chopped nuts. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.
Pico de Gallo
FoodDay October 4, 2005
2 tomatoes (about 1/2 il), diced
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup diced cucumber
6 small radishes, diced
1/2 cup loosely packed, coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 or 4 serrano chiles or other small hot chiles, seeded and finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 small lime
Mix tomatoes, onion, cucumber, radishes, cilantro and chilies. Squeeze lime juice over vegetables. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Pasta Alla Carbonara With Chicken
FoodDay October 4, 2005
1 tbsp olive oil
4 ozs minced bacon, pancetta or slab bacon
2 cups cooked chicken meat, shredded or chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb spaghetti, linguine or other long pasta
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of freshly grated parmesan cheese (divided)
Combine the olive oil and bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken, stirring from time to time until heated through.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Warm a large bowl on the lowest setting in the oven or by filling it with very hot water. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until it is tender, yet firm to the bite.
While the pasta is cooking, combine eggs and 1 cup of the parmesan in a small bowl and beat; set aside.
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain pasta. Immediately add the pasta to the warmed bowl along with the egg-cheese mixture; toss until thoroughly combined. Add the bacon, chicken and any residual fat remaining in the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste; toss well. If the pasta seems a little dry, add some of the reserved pasta water or a bit of the deglazed pan juices you may have saved from the roasted chicken. Serve immediately, passing the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan at the table.
Salade Nicoise with Chicken
FoodDay October 4, 2005
6 small red new potatoes
1 lb green beans, trimmed
6 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cooked diced chicken
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (divided)
1/4 cup drained capers (divided)
6 cups salad greens
2 large ripe tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
5 hard-cooked eggs, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup nicoise or kalamata olives
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green but still crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain beans, plunge into ice water to chill, then drain again.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. While whisking, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream to create a creamy vinaigrette. Set aside.
Slice the potatoes 1/2 inch thick into a small bowl. Toss with 2 tbsp of the vinaigrette, being careful not to break the potatoes. In another small bowl, combine the green beans with 2 more tbsp of the vinaigrette and gently toss to coat.
In a third bowl, combine the chicken with about 1/4 cup of the dressing and 1/4 cup of parsley and 2 tbsp of capers. Set aside.
Arrange the salad greens on a chilled platter and top with the tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, and green beans. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Mound the dressed chicken salad in the center of the salad and scatter the olives, remaining parsely and capers over the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
"Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer
Roast the Garden
FoodDay October 4, 2005
1 red bell pepper, stem removed
1 yellow bell pepper, stem removed
1 med zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
4 plum tomatoes
6 thick asparagus spears
1 large sweet onion, peeled and scored crisscross about 1/2 inch deep
3 carrots, peeled
1 or more heads of garlic, tops sliced off
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Set one rack in a low position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes and asparagus in a large ovenproof platter or baking dish. (You'll bake and served in the same dish.) Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Drizzle everything with olive oil.
Roast for 50 minutes to an hour, or until edges of vegetablees are somewhat browned. Remove baking dish from oven, cover with a clean towel and allow to cool to room temperature.
When cool, peel bell pepper skin off with your fingers and cut flesh into large segments. Slice zucchini, yellow squash and carrots into chunks or strips. Return all vegetables to serving dish.
Before serving, drizzle vegetables again with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve at room temperature or warm with bread or toast.
Marlene Parrish
Roasted Chicken
FoodDay October 4, 2005
Placing the chicken on onion slices will keep it from sticking to the pan while adding a wonderful caramelized flavor to the pan juices. Feel free to experiment with the fruit used to stuff the cavity.
Olive oil
1 med onion, cut in1/3-inch-thick slices
1 3&1/2-to 4&1/2 lb whole chicken, giblets removed
Salt and pepper
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 small braeburn apple, quartered
1 cup water, broth or white wine
Position the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For the brownest skin, use a rimed baking pan or a shallow roasting pan. Lightly oil the pan, then arrange the onion slices as a bed for the chicken. If you are roasting more than one chicken, be careful to leave room around each bird.
Rub the interior cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with any leftover onion, the garlic and the apple.
Place the bird breast side up on the pan. Apply the melted butter to the whole bird with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the skin with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Roast 18 to 20 min per pound or until an instant read thermometer registers 170 degrees in the breast or 180 degrees in the thigh. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Before serving, remove the apple and vegetables from the cavity and discard. Add 1 cup of warm water, broth or wine to the still warm roasting pan and heat over medium heat, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom. Strain the pan juices and serve them with the chicken.
"Joy of Cooking" by Irma S Rombauer
Sauteed Halibut with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Food Day Oct. 4, 2005
Sauteed Halibut with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Serves 4
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 large clove of garlic
2 Tbsp EVOO (divided)
4 6-to-7 oz halibut fillets
Salt and Pepper
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Seed the tomatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice; place in a bowl and set aside. Mince the garlic. Heat 1 tbsp EVOO in a large nonsitck skillet over med-high heat until v. hot but not smoking. Dry the fillets with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Place skin side up in the skillet and cook until the underside is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until the fish is just white throughout when pushed open with the tip of a sharp knife, 3 to 4 min. Transfer to a platter and cover loosely with tinfoil to keep warm.
Heat the garlic and remaining 1 tbsp of EVOO in a small skillet over low heat just until the garlic begins to soften, about 30 sec. Pour over the tomatoes in the bowl and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the tomatoes and oil over the fish. Scatter the basil over the fillets and seve.
"The Simpler the Better; Sensational Italian Meals" by Leslie Revins with Rick Rodgers