AwesomeBites

Category: Omnivore’s Best

  • Chicken and Dumplings

    Chicken and Dumplings

    Mom's Chicken and Dumplings

    Chicken and Dumplings
    Ingredients:
    4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    4 cups water
    2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
    1 1/2 T. olive oil
    2 stalks celery, chopped
    2 large carrots, chopped
    1 onion, chopped
    1 1/2 tsp. table salt (or 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt)
    1 tsp. dried thyme
    1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 cup cold water
    1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup frozen peas

    For the Dumplings:
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    2 tsp. baking powder
    1/2 tsp. table salt
    1/4 tsp. dried thyme
    1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
    1/2 cup milk
    1 T. vegetable or canola oil

    Directions:

    Place the chicken broth, water, and chicken breasts in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a boil, and boil until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred it with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.

    While the chicken is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion, and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 6 to 7 minutes.  Once the chicken has been removed from the broth, add the cooked vegetables to the broth, along with the salt, thyme, and black pepper. Stir to combine, and bring the broth to a simmer.

    In a small bowl, stir together the cold water and the flour. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the hot broth and vegetables, whisking constantly until well combined. Add peas and chicken to broth.

    Make Dumplings:

    To make the dumplings, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and thyme in a medium bowl. In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, milk, and vegetable oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (It’s okay if there are a few dry spots of flour remaining.)

    Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoons of the dumpling dough on top of the soup in a single layer. (The dumplings will expand quite a bit as they cook.) Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the dumplings cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. (Do not lift the lid during the cooking time.)

    When done, gently stir soup to break the dumplings apart. 

    Serve in bowls.

  • Butter Chicken (murgh makhani)

    Butter Chicken (murgh makhani)

    Butter Chicken

    We were in Uganda with friends at the Speke hotel restaurant and they specialized in Indian Cuisine when I first tried this great dish.  It is wonderful.  So many flavors,in it’s like a party in your mouth. 

    I have loved it every since.  One of my boys is improving his backyard and lay pavers.  I whipped them up some lunch and delivered it since I knew they would be hungry.  I made it spicy, because the boys like it that way.

    Awesome bite! Butter Chicken

    2 pounds cut up chicken (I like chicken thighs)

    Marinade:

    2 cups yogurt, drained or sour cream

    6 cloves garlic, puree

    ½ in fresh ginger, puree

    2/3 tsp red chile powder or paprika

    ½ tsp cumin powder

    ½ tsp garam masala powder

    A tiny pinch of red tandoori coloring (optional)

    ½ tsp salt

    2 tsp lime juice

    (Marinade the chicken at least 1 hour but best overnight)

     Makhani Sauce:

    1 ½ pounds tomatoes, skinned, mashed

    ½ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

    3 oz chilled butter

    Few drops of vinegar

    ½ tsp garam masala

    Salt

    1 ½ ounces light cream

    When ready to cook, heat oil in cast iron or heavy braising pot, add chicken with marinade and cook over low heat turning chicken until it is done.  

    For sauce, in saucepan cook tomato pulp about  5 minutes until liquid has evaporated. Add chilled butter, paprika; after butter has melted cook for just 1 minute.

    Taste, if it is not sour add a couple of drops of vinegar.  Add the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), garam masala, salt to taste.  After 30 seconds, add the cream.  The sauce is ready. 

    Pour  into the skillet and  mix with the chicken. 

    (You can prepare and cook the chicken ahead of time.  The Makhani sauce takes only 5-6 minutes to make, so wait until the last bit and serve immediately with rice.)

    So good. Yum!
    Plating with Tumeric Rice
  • Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange Marmalade

    Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange Marmalade

    Ingredients
    •2 whole 2-pound chickens
    •¼ teaspoon salt
    •¼ teaspoon pepper
    •3 tablespoons olive oil
    •2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
    •6 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or Wild Turkey with 1 T marmalade)
    •3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    •2 tablespoons brandy
    •2 tablespoons butter
    •4 tablespoons Chicken Stock
    1/4 cup Orange marmalade
    Directions
    Split the chickens into halves. Cut out the backbones and remove the breastbones and ribs with your fingers and a paring knife. Blend the salt and pepper, and season the chickens inside and out.

    Preheat the oven to 500° F.

    Place the chickens skin-side down in a hot, dry 14” ovenproof skillet and brown 5 minutes. Turn the chickens and brown 5 minutes longer, then add the olive oil. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast the chickens 30 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove from the oven, drain off all fat, and add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Place over high flame and cook 2 minutes, frequently basting and occasionally turning the chickens. Transfer the birds to serving plates and spoon the pan sauce over them. Glaze the chicken with the marmalade about 10 minutes before removing from oven.

    You can use just about any jam as a glaze/marinade on savory items.

    I like plum, apricot, orange and cherry best for chicken. A sweet/tart marmalade is nice on salmon.

    Give it a try.
    If you want to just do dinner for two try the following:

    2 Chicken Breasts
    Jam/Jelly spread over the meat. Bake at 400 degrees about 35 minutes until done.

    Use leftovers on salad the next day for lunch.

  • Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Apples

    Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Apples

    All my kids love chicken salad sandwiches.  They did when they were small one and even in their twenties.  The perfect quick meal. 

    2 big cans chicken white meat in water

    1 onion finely diced

    2 apples finely diced

    2 stalks of celery finely diced

    1 tsp corriander

    1 tsp black pepper

    2 T of lemon juice

    1/2 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise

    Chopped it all up!

    Finely dice everything, sprinkle lemon juice over the apples to prevent from turning brown.  Break the chunks of meat into small pieces.  Mix all together. Season. 

    Serve on croissants for a treat with sliced cranberry sauce. 

    So good!

    Hmmm good.
  • New York Steaks

    New York Steaks

    New York Steaks

    I use a cast iron skillet and heat it on the stovetop.  Turn the oven on to 400 degrees and let it warm up. 

    Rinse the steaks in water and dry on a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper – lots.  Coat the bottom of the skillet with canola oil.

    Add the steaks just as the oil starts to smoke.  I usually can fit two steaks in a pan. Do not overload the pan, since you want to sear the outside.  After about 4 minutes, turn the steaks and let sear another 4 minutes.   Now, place the frying pan into the oven and let them continue to cook until they are just the way you like them.   When you remove from the oven, let them sit for 10 minutes so the juices can distribute back into the meat.

    NY Steak with Tomato Marmalade

    Rare:  126  Medium Rare:  136  Well:  140 

    Serve each person a steak, or split a steak by slicing it and serving it fanned out on the plate for smaller eaters.

    NY Steak with Tomato Onion Marmalade

    Serve with Tomato Onion Marmalade.

  • Smokin’ Ribs

    Smokin’ Ribs

    My hubby makes the best ribs.  How good are they?  I do not order ribs when I go out.  Always disappointed.  They just don’t do it as well.  Dennis’ are the best!

    Best Pork Ribs in the World! Just Awesome!

    Start the BBQ, and let her heat up.  We have a two sided BBQ and so hubby lights one side and uses the other side to smoke the ribs.  He leaves them on the cool side for a couple of hours and then turns them and leaves them another 2 hours.  They seem to be perfection.  His BBQ sauce creates a sticky sauce that is heaven on a rib.  Search for BBQ Sauce to find on this site.

    Pork Ribs with the Rib Tips and Tumeric Rice

    The only other BBQ sauce that comes close to his is Sweet Baby Rays.  It is nice.

  • Meatloaf – Ground Beef

    Meatloaf – Ground Beef

    I guess when it is a bit cold outside, immediately I reach for comfort food.  We had meatloaf as a kid once a week.  It was easy fast, feed the crowd and my mom could stretch the meat by adding rolled oats, potato chips, day old bread crumbs, anything available. 

    2 pounds of ground beef

    1 cup bread crumbs or panko or dry bread crumbled up

    1 Tsp oregano

    1 tsp basil

    1 can of green olives (the natural brine) sliced or chopped

    2 cans tomato sauce

    Reserve 1/2 a can to pour over the top.  Variation: You can substitute part of the tomato sauce used in the mix with salsa or diced tomatoes.  Don’t have breadcrumbs, of course you can substitute.  Have extra veggies like carrots add them.  Make sure you slice the olives otherwise they get to be overpowering.

    Serve meatloaf hot with mashed potatoes.

  • Duck Breast with Thyme and Blueberry Sauce

    Duck Breast with Thyme and Blueberry Sauce

    It's ducky!

    Celebrating Jon and Carol’s anniversary the other night at a local restaurant, I ordered the duck breast with blueberry sauce.  It was great, but I thought it needed something to offset the sweet blueberry. Thyme is the answer.  Destined to be one of my favorite dishes.

    Ingredients:

     

    Directions:

    1. 2 Heat oil in a fry pan and fry each duck breast skin side down of meat for about 3-6 mins till browned but still pink inside. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and keep warm.
    2. 3 Place shallots, thyme and garlic into the pan and fry gently for 2-3 mins until translucent, add wine and jelly, stir well, reduce by half.
    3. 4 Mix in the blueberries and simmer for a few mins until the berries have burst, add the butter, take off heat and allow to melt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    4. 5 Serve duck sliced with sauce drizzled over the top and garnish with thyme flowers if available. Cheers!

     

  • Beef and Chorizo Enchiladas

    Beef and Chorizo Enchiladas

    3 pounds ground beef
    1 pound chorizo (if you don’t like, substitute with additional ground beef)
    1/4 cup taco seasoning (or more to your taste)
    red enchilada sauce or Mexican style hot tomato sauce

    salt and pepper

    corn tortillas

    Corn Oil
    Mexican grated cheese (Cheddar and Jack Cheese)
    3 large onions diced and sauted
    1 T Balsalmic vinegar and black pepper

    Saute diced onions add vinegar and black pepper. Brown the ground beef and chorizo, add taco seasoning.

    Fry corn tortillas in oil.

    Warm Enchilada sauce and dip each fried tortilla in the sauce, then on a plate add 2 T beef and chorizo mixture and 1 T onions, top with grated cheese and roll enchilada.  Place in casserole dish.  Fill the bottom, add sauce and cheese between layers, then add another layer.  I was able to get three layers into my casserole dish.  Top with remaining sauce and cheese, warm in oven at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Or you can leave in the refrigerator and heat within the next day just before serving.

    Fresh from the oven
    Beef and Chorizo Enchiladas – 3 layers thick! Yum.
  • Turkey and Chipolte Cheese Panini by Ryan

    Turkey and Chipolte Cheese Panini by Ryan

    Chipolte Cheddar

    Sliced Deli Style Turkey (you could use ham also)

    Spinach and Parmesan Dip made by Lighthouse

    Garlic Butter

    Baby Bell Mushrooms – sliced

    Green Onions – sliced

    Rustic Ciabatta Bread Rolls

    Spread each side of the bread roll with Spinach Parmesan Dip, add turkey slices, chipolte cheddar splice then sliced mushrooms and onions.  When the cheese melts you want the mushrooms and onions to be smothered in cheese.

    Spread garlic butter on outside of the Ciabatta bun and toast in the panini press or pan until toasted on each side and the cheese has melted. 

    Mmmm, Mmmm good.  Ryan says “Everyone loved it!”