Food Friday - Chicken Scampi*

3 Chicken Breasts (thawed or fresh)
2 C Chicken Broth
2-3 Sliced Bell Peppers (I used red, yellow and orange because they were on sale - they are also sweeter)
1/2 C Diced Yellow Onion
3 Crushed Cloves of Garlic (or 1 T of the jarred stuff)
3/4 C Sliced Mushrooms (fresh or canned)
1/3 C Milk (or cream)
1/3 C Flour
1 T Olive Oil
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
1 t Oregano Flakes
1 t Basil Flakes
Angel Hair Pasta

Place 1 T Olive Oil in a medium frying pan with the heat on medium high. Saute onions and garlic until they turn clear. Add 1/3 C flour to make a thick paste. Add 1/3 C milk (or cream) to make a thick cream sauce. Add the chicken broth and stir well (with a whisk) until it is smooth. Add red pepper flakes, oregano flakes, and basil flakes. Add mushrooms and pepper slices.

Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce should cook down to be moderately thick (saucey, you know). Salt and pepper to taste.

As far as the meat goes you have some choices here:

1. You could grill the breasts and serve on top of the pasta.
2. You could bread and fry the breasts (this is what Olive Garden does) and serve on top of the pasta.
3. You could be totally lazy (like moi) and cut the breast into cubes and throw it in the sauce at the beginning of the 45 minutes and let the sauce cook the chicken.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Mix the pasta into the sauce and serve as one (or if you are a rebel you can serve the sauce on top). Top with parmesan cheese (the real stuff is best but if you are like me you'll just grab the tall green vat of Kraft out of your fridge, wince a bit, but serve it anyway).

*Phil and I both loved this but the Bambino said it was "yucky." (Actually she only says "cky.") This word (or fraction of a word) has been reserved for dirty diapers and things found on the floor that really want to find their way to her mouth but that she knows shouldn't. It has never been applied to my cooking ... until now. She tried it, ate the bread and melon, and then handed her plate to Phil while saying "cky." And so it begins...

Food Friday - Lettuce Wraps

I have made these three or four times and each time I love them and so does Phil. As we were enjoying them tonight I thought, I should share them with the Sugar and Spice ladies. So here is my version of the recipe. If you want the PF Chang version go here. My version is just a bit less complicated - you could look at them both and come up with your own variation.

2-3 servings - 25 minute prep/cooking time

2 T Olive Oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - thawed (tonight I used the pre-cooked grilled chicken strips and they worked great and were fast!)
1/2 C chopped Almonds
2/3 C Mushrooms
3 T chopped Onion (I used yellow)
2 t minced Garlic (I used the bottled kind)
5-6 leaves of Romaine Lettuce
1/2 Carrot
1/2 Cucumber
Stir Fry Sauce*
Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

Mince mushrooms and onions about the size of peas.
Saute chicken breasts in Olive Oil for 4-5 minutes per side (or until done).
Remove chicken from pan and when cool chop it the same size as mushrooms.
Add mushrooms, garlic, onions, and almonds to the pan and saute.
Add the chicken back in.
Add the stir fry sauce and saute for a couple of minutes.

Wash the lettuce.
Shred the carrot and cucumber.

To serve, place a tablespoon of the chicken mixture on a piece of lettuce then top with the shredded carrot and cucumber. Dribble some Kraft Asian dressing on it. Wrap and eat (make sure you have napkins handy).

*Stir Fry Sauce:
In a small bowl mix 2 T Soy Sauce with 2 T brown Sugar and 1/2 t rice vinegar.

Food Friday - Alfredo Sauce

1 T Minced Garlic (I use the kind in a jar)
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Flour
4 C Cream (or half/half for less fat and calories)
1 t Onion Powder
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese (grated or powdered)

• Saute the garlic in the olive oil (in a medium sauce pan over medium heat).
• Add flour and stir well (it will be somewhat pastey).
• Add cream and mix well.
• Cook until smooth and nearly as thick as you want it (the cheese will cause it to thicken more).
• Add onion powder and cheese and stir until smooth.

Serve over pasta or use as a pizza sauce (with spinach is good).
You can add grilled chicken on the side or cubed and placed right into the sauce.

Food Friday - Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes and Brie

Since most people have fresh tomatoes now (don't even ask me about our tomato plant - the saddest thing ever!), I thought I'd share this really delicious recipe.

2 T Olive Oil
4 Large Tomatoes - peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Clove Garlic - pressed
6 oz. Brie - cubed
5 T Fresh Basil - finely chopped (I do have a beautiful Basil plant!)
1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
1 lb. Fresh Fettuccine (if you don't feel like making your own - just buy a box of dried - it won't hurt!)

Saute tomatoes and garlic in olive oil 6-9 minutes. Lower the heat to medium - add the Brie. Continue cooking until the mixture is creamy. Stir in basil. Pour over cooked pasta and serve immediately.

This is seriously good stuff (and it only takes about 15 minutes prep and 15 minutes of cooking).

Enjoy!

Food Friday - Egg Gravy

Ok, some of you are totally repulsed just by the name of this post. Others may be intrigued. Those of you who have tasted it are saying "Right on! I need this recipe!"

This is a Beck family favorite (especially my dad) but tends to be somewhat polarizing among newcomers to the family. Phil thinks it is pretty good and it has become the standard first breakfast after each chemo treatment. (Eden really likes it too - but not the egg whites, just the yolks for her!)

And without further delay, here is the recipe:

Hard boil three eggs (five minutes in rolling/boiling water)
In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 T butter then add 1/3 C flour and mix until you have a paste. Add 2-3 C milk (depending on how thick you like your gravy). Simmer/cook until thick (usually about 3-5 minutes). You've just made a white sauce! (wonderful for so many things)

Cut the eggs into bite-sized pieces and put them in the gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over toast or biscuits.

Food Friday - Caramel Popcorn

This is the yummiest, softest caramel popcorn EVER! I'd been craving it but didn't have the recipe. My SIL who had it was in the middle of moving her family from MI to VA and having a baby! Needless to say, she couldn't find it. Finally the craving sent me to google and I found the very recipe!

• 6 quarts of popped corn (Beardens, this is where you have to stop)

• Combine in a medium saucepan:
• 1 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C light corn syrup
• 1/2 C margarine or butter
• dash of salt (what does a "dash" really mean anyway?)
• bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and add:
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (half a can).
• cook, stirring constantly until it reaches a soft ball stage (240 degrees)*.
• Remove from heat and stir in
  
• 1/2 t vanilla.
• Pour slowly over popcorn, stirring until caramel is evenly distributed throughout.
• Store caramel popcorn in a covered container (it last really well).

*if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can take a small bowl, put cold water in it, then drop a small amount (about 1 t) of the mixture into the water. When it forms a soft ball, you are at soft ball stage.

Food Friday - Easy Pasta Bake

This is one of our favorite meals because it is both tasty and easy.

Ingredients:

Favorite Pasta

Favorite Meat

Favorite Cheeses

1 Can of Stewed Tomatoes

1 Can of Tomato Sauce

(you can replace the tomatoes and sauce with Ragu or something)

Mushrooms (canned or fresh) (can be deleted)

Italian spices

Preheat oven to 350

Take a medium sized baking dish.  Put about 1 1/2 C of dry pasta (we've used small shells, bows, elbows, angel hair, whatever we have). Open a can of stewed tomatoes - dump it in.  Open a can of tomato sauce - dump it in.  You can add sliced mushrooms for extra texture. Add whatever spices you like (oregano, basil, garlic, pepper - the tomatoes are usually salty enough that you won't want to add salt). Mix.  If you want you can add cooked meat (ground beef, chicken strips, ham strips, bacon, etc.). Sprinkle your favorite cheese on top (parm., ched., moz., etc.). Put a lid on your dish and bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid for the last 15 min. to get the cheese nice and crispy (Phil's favorite part).

Serve with your favorite veggies and fruit and some french bread and you have a yummy, nutritious meal. You also have very few dishes since you mixed, baked, and served it all in the same dish.

Food Friday - Stir Fry

Use your favorite veggies (frozen or fresh) and your favorite protein (pork, chicken, beef, tofu, armadillo, whatever) to make a quick meal. Just make sure that all the veggies are cut to about the same size (so they cook uniformly). Cook the thawed or fresh meat first and then add your veggies. Cook just long enough to make the veggies tender (don't overcook - they should be crispy).

Then add your favorite stir fry sauce. Here are some that I made up (which means that I'm guessing on the amounts since when I'm jazz cooking I don't really measure). Use them, change them, enjoy them.

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
1T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl and pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes.

Thai Peanut Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Rice Vinegar
1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes
Mix with a wire wisp (or is it a whisk or a whip - I've heard them all) in a small bowl until it becomes smooth. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes. (add peanuts to your stir fry to make this extra yummy!)

Brown Sauce (very mild)
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Beef Broth
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes (particularly good with beef).

Food Friday - Chili Relleno

1 qt. Cottage Cheese
1 C crushed Ritz crackers
6 Eggs - beaten
1 small Onion (minced)
1 T Parsley flakes
8 oz. Mont. Jack cheese (grated)
8 oz. Cheddar cheese (grated)
2 small cans Whole Green Chilis

Mix cottage cheese, crackers, eggs, onion, parsley.

In a casserole dish (sprayed with oil) layer the above mixture, grated cheeses, then peppers.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350.

Food Friday - Honey Chicken Wings

1 1/2 C honey
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C ketchup

Brown 30 chicken wings in a shallow pan. Mix honey, soy sauce, and ketchup well. Place the wings in a crock pot then pour sauce over them. Cook for 3 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve. Serve with rice. Makes 6-8 servings.

Food Friday - Banana Spice Muffins

I found this recipe this week online at cookinglight.com. They are yummy!

2 1/2 C Flour
1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Brown Sugar
1 T Baking Powder
1 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt
1 t Allpsice (ground) (I didn't have allspice so I just used cinnamon)
1 t Ginger (ground)
1 C Mashed Ripe Banana (about 2 small)
2/3 C Milk
1/3 C Buttermilk
1/3 C Ricotta Cheese (I know, who would have thought!)
2 T Vegetable Oil
1 T Vanilla
1 Egg
1 Egg White (I'm lazy and just did two eggs)

Preheat oven to 400

Combine first 8 ingredients (flour through ginger) in a large bowl, and make a well in the center. Combine banana and the next 7 ingredients (banana through eggs) in a bowl, and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 for 18 minutes or until done. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Info (if you use low-fat ingredients):
Calories 125
Fat 2.4g
Protein 3.2g
Cholesterol 13mg
Calcium 59mg
Sodium 194mg
Fiber .8g
Iron 1mg
Carbs 22.6g

(These freeze really well too!)

enjoy!

Food Friday - Divinity

By request... (sorry Sugar and Spice girls - this is NOT helpful with our attempts to be more healthy)

This is actually just the recipe that came with my Kitchen Aid - it has very specific instructions about what speed etc. (My K.A. has speeds from 0-10 for reference.)

3 C sugar
3/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 C water
2 egg whites
1 t almond extract
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
(I've also seen recipes with zest of orange or maraschino cherries)

Place sugar, corn syrup, and water in heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat to hard ball stage (use a candy thermometer or place some cold water in a cup and when a drop of the mixture make a "hard ball" you know you're there). Remove from heat and let stand until temperature drops to 220, without stirring.

Place egg whites in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and wire whip to mixer. Turn to Speed 8 and whip about 1 minute, or until soft peaks form. Gradually add syrup in a fine stream and whip about 2 1/2 minutes longer.

Turn to Speed 4. Add almond extract and whip 20 to 25 minutes, or until mixture starts to become dry. Turn to Stir Speed and add nuts, mixing just until blended.

Drop mixture from measuring tablespoon onto waxed paper or greased baking sheet to form patties.

Let them stand for approximately 1 hour (until they cool and harden). Eat (but not too many).

Kitchen Aid Trick (free of charge, just for having read this far):
If you have a K.A. classic (the kind where the bowl is locked into place and the arm is lowered into the bowl) you may find that the bowl can get pretty wedged into place while doing long-term mixing (especially bread dough kneading). To prevent this from happening, I spray a little bit of cooking oil (like Pam) onto the metal where the bowl is secured. This acts as a lubricant and I don't have to use heavy tools to un-wedge the bowl when the mixing/kneading is done. It only took me about five years to figure out this trick. Five years of muscle work out every time I made bread or divinity (ok, I maybe make divinity once every five years but I make a lot of bread!).

Food Friday - French Bread

I got this recipe from my cousin, Jaime, who got it from her MIL. It is really easy (especially with a Kitchen Aid) and has a fabulous taste and texture.

French Bread

Combine all ingredients (except flour) in your bowl (or Kitchen Aid bowl) and mix:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. oil
1 T. yeast
Add:
3 to 4 Cups Flour (I use more like 4 1/2)
Mix until the dough is smooth. Then let it rise for 1 hour. During that hour punch the dough down every 10 minutes. (I just keep it in my Kitchen Aid and then turn it on for 20 seconds every 10 minutes.)

After an hour, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle shape and then roll up like a cinnamon roll (don't be afraid to use more flour here). Place on a greased cookie sheet. Slit the top with a sharp knife. Rub your loaf with egg white; let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes (golden brown). Great for French toast, too!

The crust is nice and crunchy and the inside is moist and yummy. Enjoy your bread. We had it last night with our black chicken.

Thanks to everyone who shared cooking tips last week and for taking the poll.

Food Friday - Scrambled Eggs

So this isn't so much a recipe as it is a food tip:

For extra fluffy (but not runny) scrambled eggs, try mixing in some cottage cheese (probably about 1/3 C for two eggs). Phil was quite the skeptic at first but now he wants cottage cheese eggs every time.

Now it is your turn to share YOUR simple food tips. You can also make a comment about the current poll.

Jammin'

I love making freezer jam! It is pretty easy and quick and tastes so good! You start with these ingredients:










Make this kind of mess:











And end up with this:

I made two batches of strawberry and one batch of blackberry. I got my berries at pretty good prices too! On Monday (Strawberry day) Mechelle (one of the Laurels) came over and helped. It was great fun!

Food Friday - Chicken Cacciatore

Prep Time: 1/2 Hour
Cooking Time: 2 Hours
Total Time: 2 1/2 Hours

In a large pot combine:
2 Cans - Stewed Tomatoes-Diced
1 Can - Sliced Mushrooms (or fresh)
1/2 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1/2 C Chopped Yellow Onion
1/2 T - Corn Starch
1 T - Minced Garlic (fresh or bottled but not dried)
1 t - Dried Basil (or fresh)
1 t - Dried Oregano (or fresh)
Ground Black Pepper to taste
(there is enough salt in the tomatoes and broth that you shouldn't need to add any)
1/2 t - Red Pepper Powder
1/2 t - Creole Seasoning (Emeril has a recipe for it or you can buy it - I have Tony Chachere's)
cook until it begins to get thick then add:
1/2 C - Chicken Broth
1/4 C Brown Sugar
simmer with a lid for 1 hour then add:
2 Cooked Chicken Breasts - Shredded
simmer without a lid for an additional hour then serve over:
Cooked Angel Hair Pasta (or other pasta or rice)

I made this one up and it was really, really good! Feel free to change it, improve it, and pass it along. This is great served with French bread.

Who Said It? -Motherhood Edition

Match the quotation with the author (give your answers in a response). Answers will be posted in a few days.

1. "Woman, Mother, --your responsibility is one that might make angels tremble and fear to take hold! To trifle with it, to ignore or misuse it, is to treat lightly the most sacred and solemn trust ever confided by God to human kind. The training of children is a task on which an infinity of weal or woe depends. Who does not covet it? Yet who does not stand awe-struck before its momentous issues!"

2. "I am impressed by countless mothers who have learned how important it is to focus on the things that can only be done in a particular season of life. If a child lives with parents for 18 or 19 years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent’s life. And the most formative time of all, the early years in a child’s life, represents less than one-tenth of a parent’s normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes. This eternally important work falls to mothers and fathers as equal partners. I am grateful that today many fathers are more involved in the lives of their children. But I believe that the instincts and the intense nurturing involvement of mothers with their children will always be a major key to their well-being."

3. "Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one."

A. Gloria Steinem
B. M. Russell Ballard
C. Anna Julia Cooper
D. Colin Powell

Do you have a favorite motherhood quotation? Do share...

And now I know...

I've learned a few lessons lately. Here are two:

1 - If you are going to get your hair cut where it is arid, don't be surprised if it looks different when you get back home to the humidity.

2 - Read the fine print on labels.

Here is some explanation:

1 - I got my haircut while I was in Utah. This hasn't been a big deal in the past because I would just get trims but this time I went short. When my medium/long hair is subjected to the humidity it goes a little wavy and it is okay. When my short hair is subjected to the humidity, the nice smooth look I had in Utah goes all tweaky. It flips where it should be smooth and goes limp where it is supposed to have volume. Oh well...

2 - I bought some apple juice for my family (especially Eden) to enjoy. I looked over my options and then noticed that there was a brand that was 100% juice - not from concentrate. It was also a good price. I bought it, took it home, and then gave Eden a sippy cup full of it at lunch. At dinner Phil said, "oooh, apple juice!" (we don't have juice much) and so I put it on the table for dinner. Phil filled his glass. About half way through the meal I noticed some smaller print on the label. This is what then transpired...

Heidi: "How can apple juice have fiber?"
Phil: "Fiber? I don't think it can."
Heidi: "It says it right there, 'A Good Source of Fiber.'"
Phil: "No way."
Heidi: (looking at some even smaller print) "Oh, they've added fiber - like Metamucil or something."
Phil: "No way."
Heidi: "This could be bad, Eden had about 6 ounces today."
Eden: as if on cue - makes all kinds of stomach-churning-digestion-working sounds.

Let's just say the diaper was full, the guts clean.

And now you know too...

Food Friday - I don't want to cook edition

No matter how much you like to cook, there are times when you just don't want to do it. Last night was one of those nights. In honor of that, there will be no recipe today. Instead, here is a list of 5 great eating experiences I've had over the years:

1 - Sylvias - Harlem, NY - with Charlotte
Charlotte and I went to NYC where I had a conference. Our flight got canceled and our luggage was lost for three days. Since I didn't have any conference-appropriate clothing, we went to buy some and while we were out we went to Sylvias which Tayneshia had recommended. It was fabulous!

2 - Ruth's Chris Steak House - Philadelphia, PA - with my brother Mark
I had meetings in Philadelphia and it just so happened (or perhaps he made it happen) my brother had meetings there at the same time. We were able to spend a couple of days together and he took me to Ruth Chris for the first time. Good food! (and I'm not a huge steak fan).

3 - Some restaurant - Hannover, Germany - with brother Paul, his wife Meg, and Phil
Paul and Meg were spending the summer in Hannover and Phil was spending it in Switzerland teaching. I flew over and we all had a little vacation together. We went to a cute restaurant and Paul was translating for us. We pointed to one thing and asked, "what is that" he'd answer "beef" or "chicken" or whatever. Then we asked again and he stumbled and looked confused. He couldn't think of the right word in English. Finally he blurted out, "Pig!" ("pork" is the word he couldn't think of). We all cracked up. It was just a fun, fun time and I think the food was pretty good too!

4 - Some cafe - Paris, France - with Phil
We had these sandwiches that were made with French baguettes and chicken and carrot sticks and a yummy curry sauce. Then we topped that off with gelato (of course). We ate all of this outside in the shadow of Notre Dame Cathedral. Lovely.

5 - Indian Oven (also known as the Indian Dive) - Logan, UT - with the Sugar Gliders
Ok, this may seem totally out-classed by the other entries but I LOVE the Indian Oven (it was originally in the back corner of a gas station convenience store - hence the "Indian Dive" but now it has a respectable store front on main street). We had heard that the food was good and so we tried to go for lunch only to find out that they were (then) only open for dinner. Upon seeing our disappointed faces, the owner/chef said, "stay, I will make you something very good." He won my love and devotion! The food is great (I really like Indian food) and how can you beat that service! Top that off with the fabulous company of wonderful women and you have a winning combination!

Now, have your husband take you out tonight and then let me know where you went or what your favorite food experiences have been.

Food Friday - Saturday Edition

Ok, so I've been in Utah to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday (I'll post on that soon) and so I think I have two recipes to make up for. So here is the Saturday Edition of Food Friday.

Fried Bread

4 C Flour
4 t Baking Powder
1 t Salt
2 C Milk

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and stir 10 minutes (I use my trusty Kitchen Aid). Put some oil in a shallow pan and place on medium-high heat. Knead dough until it is rubbery. Divide into small flat pieces. Pinch a small piece off and place it in the oil. When it quickly bounces to the top and begins to fry, you know it is ready. Fry in oil - turning it over once.

Serving suggestions: eat with butter and jam; sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it; squeeze honey all over it; use it as the base for Navajo Tacos. YUM!!!!

Crepes

3 Eggs
1 1/3 C Milk
3 T Butter (softened but not melted)
1 C Flour
1/2 t Salt

Mix all ingredients with either a hand mixer or (and this is my little secret trick) a blender (because then you can pour the batter right out onto your pan). Heat a small round frying pan with sides on medium-high. When the pan is hot pour a small amount of batter (maybe 1 1/2 T) into the pan and swirl the batter all around (the thinner the better). When the batter doesn't look wet anymore, carefully flip it and brown the other side (maybe 30 seconds).

Serving Ideas: eat them for breakfast with sugar, cinnamon, jam, fresh fruit and whipped cream, or make a yummy center and have stuffed crepes for dinner (suggestions for stuffing available if there is interest).