a little of each

A family's cookbook

Nutty Shrimp or Chicken Pasta March 29, 2013

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:56 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

 

From “A Taste of Thai” packet label. Serves four.

 

Ingredients

1 lb prepared pasta of your choice (spaghetti or linguine work well)

1 packet A Taste of Thai Peanut Sauce Mix

1 can low-fat coconut milk

1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned, or bite-size chicken

1 cup bean sprouts

¼ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped

½ cup scallions, chopped

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Lime wedges

 

Directions

In a saucepan, bring coconut milk to a boil and stir in peanut sauce mix packet. Add meat. Cook until done. Remove from heat and add bean sprouts and pasta, stirring together well. Top with peanuts, lime wedges and herbs.

 

Lara’s Buffalo Chicken Salad March 28, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:59 pm
Tags: , , ,

 

Lara invented this salad when she discovered that she’d forgotten to serve the pound of boneless buffalo wings she’d bought for her housewarming party in October 2005. All amounts have been omitted; simply make as needed for the number of servings and to taste.

 

Ingredients

Butter lettuce

Sliced carrots

Sliced celery

Tomato wedges

Cooked boneless buffalo wings (can be found in the frozen food section of the grocery store)

Chunky blue cheese dressing

 

Directions

Top the lettuce with the veggie slices and buffalo wings. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and enjoy!

 

Chicken Tender Salad

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:58 pm
Tags: , , , ,

 

 

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup honey

¼ cup Dijon mustard

½ tsp dried tarragon

4 boneless chicken breasts or 12 tenderloins

mixed greens

 

Directions

Blend mayonnaise, honey, mustard and tarragon in a bowl. Set aside ½ cup. Marinate chicken in remaining dressing for several hours covered in the refrigerator. Grill or broil chicken until done. Serve over greens with the reserved dressing.

 

Chipotle Chicken Stew March 27, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:14 pm
Tags: , , , ,

 

Ingredients

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tbl olive oil

3 cups onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups red potatoes, peeled and cubed one inch thick

1 ½ cups carrots, one-inch-thick slices

¼ cup tomato paste

1 ½ tsp cumin

3 (16 oz) cans chicken broth

1 ½ chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and finely chopped

1 tsp salt

2 Tbl cilantro leaves, chopped

 

Directions

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat coated with cooking spray sauté the chicken for seven minutes or until browned. Remove the chicken; keep warm. Add the oil to the pan. Add the onion, sauté for seven minutes or until browned. Add the garlic, sauté for one minute. Add the potatoes and the next six ingredients (potatoes through chiles) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the chicken and salt. Cover and cook for ten minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve. A dollop of sour cream is a nice, cooling garnish.

 

Shaker Chicken and Noodle Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:47 pm
Tags: , , ,

 

Ingredients

13 cups chicken stock

¼ cup dry vermouth

¼ cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

½ lb medium egg noodles (about 4 cups)

¾ cup flour

1 ¼ cups water

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

salt and pepper to taste

chopped parsley

 

Directions

Combine one cup of the stock, the vermouth and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly until mixture is reduced to about ¼ cup. It should have a syrupy consistency. Stir in the cream and set aside. Meanwhile, heat remaining stock to a boil. Add noodles and cook just until tender. In a separate bowl, blend flour with water until smooth. Stir into noodles. Stir until mixture boils one or two minutes. Add cream mixture and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Heat to serving temperature. Garnish with chopped parsley.

 

Roasted Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:46 pm
Tags: , , ,

Ingredients

1 (6 oz) box wild rice mix

1 Tbl olive oil

1 ½ cups red onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (8 oz) package of mushrooms, halved

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp dried tarragon

¼ tsp dried thyme

2 cups water

2 Tbl dry sherry

2 cans chicken broth

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

3 cups shredded roasted chicken

 

Directions

Prepare rice according to box instructions. Set aside. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for six minutes or until onion is translucent. Add flour, tarragon, thyme to vegetable mixture and cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Add liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in cooked rice and chicken. Cook for 10 minutes.

 

Chicken Ball Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:40 pm
Tags: , , ,

 

Ingredients

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (1/4 lb)

½ cup sliced green onions

2 Tbl olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp each: salt, pepper, oregano

8 cups chicken stock

3 oz egg pastina (3/4 cup)

40 chicken balls

2 egg yolks

1 cup light cream

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Sauté mushrooms and onions in oil in skillet until tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt, oregano and pepper while cooking. Meanwhile, heat chicken stock to boiling. Add mushroom mixture and pastina. Boil two to three minutes. Add chicken balls and continue cooking until balls are done. Turn off heat. In a separate bowl combine yolks, cream and cheese. Blend well, then whisk or beat into hot soup. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk while heating to serving temperature. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

 

For the Chicken Balls:

(makes about 40)

1 cup ground, boned chicken breast

2 Tbl chopped parsley

2 egg whites

½ cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 Tbl grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

 

Combine all ingredients and blend very well. Chill until firm enough to handle. Shape into small balls. Chill. Cook balls, either in the soup or in boiling salted water, until they float to the top, about 10 minutes. Cooked balls freeze very well.

 

Thai Chicken and Coconut Curry Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:39 pm
Tags: , , ,

 

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 Tbl Thai green curry paste

2 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

½ tsp whole black peppercorns

¾ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus additional ½ cup chopped for garnish

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

¾ cup thinly sliced shallots

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 (4 – 6 oz) boneless chicken breast, cut into ¼-inch strips

2 Tbl Asian fish sauce (nam pla)

2 Tbl fresh lime juice

2 tsp brown sugar

1 jalapeño, sliced into rings (optional)

1 small tomato, seeded and diced, for garnish

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for garnish

 

Directions

In a large heavy-bottom pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain broth over a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Return broth to pot; add coconut milk, shallots, mushrooms and chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and jalapeño, if desired; stir until sugar is dissolved, then add mixture to soup. Garnish with tomato, coconut shavings and cilantro; serve hot.

 

Mama Pappas’ Greek Lemon Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:07 pm
Tags: , , , ,

 

Nana Hazel’s favorite version. She often used four to five cans of chicken broth and two boneless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. She found it much easier and just as tasty. Nana also added grated carrot to this soup.

 

Ingredients

1 (3 lb) whole chicken

3 quarts water

4 eggs

½ cup lemon juice

½ box orzo pasta

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Cook chicken in water (covered) for two hours. Let cool. Remove chicken from broth and pick meat from bones. Set aside. Add water to chicken broth to make three quarts. Bring to a boil and add orzo pasta. Simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.*  Beat eggs with one tablespoon water until light. Add lemon juice. Add some hot broth to this mixture and pour entire egg mixture into broth. Add chicken to soup if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Avgolemono

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:05 pm
Tags: , , , , ,


photo 2

Bright fresh lemon, clean parsley, bright bits of carrot, smooth broth, and hearty chicken and rice.  We may not be Greek in any way, shape, or form, but we make a mighty tasty, if nontraditional, Greek lemon chicken soup.

 

Ingredients

2 cups milk

2 Tbl cornstarch

6 egg yolks, beaten

2 quarts chicken broth

½ cup rice

1 cup grated carrots

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

½ stick butter

fresh parsley

1 cup fresh lemon juice

lemon zest

salt and pepper

Directions

Stir milk and cornstarch together, then beat in the egg yolks. Set mixture aside. Bring broth to a boil and add rice and carrots. Cook covered, until the rice and carrots are tender. Remove soup from heat and carefully add milk and egg mixture. Return to heat and continue to cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and add chicken, butter, parsley, lemon, and salt and pepper and serve.

 

photo 1