Chicken Burgers

I picked up a pound of ground chicken and debated on what to do with it. I know it works well with sloppy joes, in chili, and in spaghetti sauce. But, I wanted something different. I made chicken burgers and this is how it broke down.

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1 lb ground chicken
2 tbs grated onion
1 large egg
10 saltine crackers
1/4 tsp Penzeys Forward seasoning
1/4 tsp seasoned salt

Gently mix together. This is a very loose and wet mix. Roll into 4 equal sized balls and press each ball between two pieces of wax paper, making sure to indent the center. Place in the freezer for up to 30 minutes to help firm. Generously brush grill or grill pan with vegetable oil and cook on medium high heat.

I had these on a whole wheat bun with mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion and catsup and served with green bean "fries". Made a yummy meal.

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Green Bean Fries

1 lb green beans
1 tbs EVOO
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste

Wash and trim beans. Dry with paper towels. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss beans with oil and sprinkle with seasoning on baking sheet. Place in 400 degree pre-heated oven. Cook 20-30 minutes until beans are slightly caramelized.

This is the nutritional break down, including the condiments and buns.


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Not so bad, huh?

Diet Food

I'm trying to lose weight, so I have been lax about posting. The things I long to make are not diet friendly. But when trying to come up with different things to eat, I was at a loss. Diet food can be boring and bland. A lot of salad and baked meat. Not that I mind salad, in fact, I love it. I eat it at least three times a week.

I had a can of salmon in the pantry and went looking for recipes for it. And I found this one at
SPANISH SALMON BAKE



Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska Salmon OR 2 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 oz. each) skinless, boneless salmon
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 can (2.5 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
1 cup frozen diced potatoes
½ cup diced tomato
8 large eggs, beaten well
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup white cheese, shredded or crumbled

Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain and flake salmon. Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, olives and potatoes. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until garlic is brown and potatoes are slightly cooked. Remove from heat; evenly spoon potato mixture into spray-coated 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle on salmon and tomatoes. Blend eggs, oregano, cilantro, salt and pepper; pour over salmon. Bake 10 minutes; sprinkle on cheese. Continue baking 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through.



My favorite use of canned salmon is croquettes, but they are just not diet friendly, and this is. Plus, it is hearty and delicious. Though, I was a bit doubtful while it was cooking. It was a bit pungent.



I did not use frozen potatoes, but instead diced red potatoes and boiled them to soften them. I used Monteray Jack cheese.

And of course, I ate it with the mandatory salad.


Ready for the close-up?



The best part of this? THIS!

Makes 6 to 8 Servings.

Nutrients per serving: 302 calories, 19g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 57% calories from fat, 284mg cholesterol, 24g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 928mg sodium, 284mg calcium and 1.1g omega-3 fatty acids.

Potatoes, olives, eggs, cheese and only 302 calories per serving. YUM!

Crepes!

When I was in my late teens and early twenties there was a crepe restaurant in my town called The Magic Pan. It was elegant. It was classy. It was impressive. I only ate there a couple of times, but I still remember it. I remember that I felt grown-up and sophisticated while there.

About that same time, I was working for a local department store and asked to test a product--a crepe maker. I was so excited! I could hardly wait. It was, as I recall, a convex, Teflon coated disk attached to something similar to a hot plate. Imagine a pin cushion the size of a salad plate weighing about five pounds with an electrical cord undulating from one side. The trial did not go well. It made a huge mess all over the counter and was very difficult to clean because you could not get the base wet.

I never again tried to make crepes and do not think that I have eaten them since. Until today.

I got a recipe from a member of an online community to which I belong, which was certainly very basic. I also consulted an Alton Brown recipe and a couple of others because the cooking instructions were so vague. I wound up working on a trial and error basis when it came to the cooking temperature. But all and all, they were easy. Why would anyone think that an appliance would be better than a simple pan and stove? And seriously, who has the storage for such things?

I used my 8" Calphalon non-stick skillet. No fancy pans or appliances.

I was told to plan on throwing away the first one and that was the case.


But, the rest came out perfect!









Basic Crepes

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk*
1/2 cup water
2 tsp melted butter
2 large eggs

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, water, eggs, and butter to combine. Add to flour mixture and stir well. (You can use a blender for this, but mine is on the fritz.) Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Here is where the trial and error came in...

Alton Brown says to butter the pan. Since there were no cooking instructions with the recipe, I tried this. Don't. Heat the pan on medium heat and pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan. Swirl it around to fill the pan. Cook for approx 30 seconds and flip. Cook another 10 to 15 seconds. Slide crepe out of pan and onto a flat surface. Repeat.

This recipe makes 16 (not including 1st and last) and each crepe is 41 calories. I served these with sliced peaches and dusted with confectioner's sugar. Alton Brown's basic recipe did not include sugar, but adds sugar for sweet crepes. For savory crepes, he suggests adding fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or spinach. Herbs sound yummy, don't they?

I laid these flat on baking sheets and froze them before placing them in storage bags and tossing them back in the freezer for another day. I may try some Crepes Suzette one day, because I love to set food afire.

*I used whole milk, but probably 2% would be okay.

Blueberry Scones

My alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. so that I could drive my dad and three of his friends across town to catch a bus at 6 a.m. I got home a little before 7 and felt the need to bake. What? Don't you feel like baking when you could and/or should be sleeping?

Because I had a very large bag of blueberries in the freezer, I used my good friend Google to find a recipe from Sallysbakingaddiction.comm.

I have made scones before, but they always seemed very dry and almost flavorless to me. These were light and moist, and extremely easy to make.

Blueberry Scones

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (careful not to overmeasure)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping cup (190g) blueberries (fresh or frozen, do not thaw)
coarse sugar for sprinkling on top before baking
GLAZE
1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Adjust baking rack to the middle-low position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Grate the frozen butter (I used a box grater; a food processor also works - here is the one I own and love). Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture and combine it with a pastry cutter, your fingers, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla together. Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a rubber spatula until everything appears moistened. Slowly and gently fold in the blueberries. Try your best to not overwork the dough at any point. Dough will be a little wet. Work the dough into a ball with floured hands as best you can and transfer to the prepared baking pan. Press into a neat 8″ disc and cut into 8 equal wedges with a very sharp knife. Top with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. To make the glaze, simply whisk all of the glaze ingredients together and drizzle lightly over scones right before serving. Scones are best enjoyed right away, though leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 extra days. Scones freeze well, up to 3 months.





Incredibly tasty, these are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast or a snack. This recipe is a keeper! Especially since I have lots of blueberries left after having made muffins, pound cake, cobbler, etc.

Sweet Cinnamon Goodness

You know how, when you've just gotten off of a plane that sat for two hours on the runway and you are facing a three hour lay-over, and the only thing that you've had to eat in six hours was that complimentary package of five small pretzels, you step into the terminal and you are assaulted by the smell of sweet cinnamon goodness? Cinnabon! The bane of weight conscious travelers and mall walkers across the US. It smells divine. It tastes better. It is, in fact, heavenly.

As I've stated here before, I am a bashful baker. Yeast terrifies me. But I aspire to be a master baker. Today, I made cinnamon rolls, a clone of that magnificent concoction, Cinnabon.

Clone of Cinnabon

1 pkg yeast - 2-1/2 teaspoons
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting: (I use a glaze, recipe below, instead of this)
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions: Dissolve yeast in warm water and add warm milk. Add beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, white sugar stirring with a wooden spoon til combined.
Add 2-1/2 cups flour and mix well to combine. Sprinkle 1 cup bread flour on a countertop and place the dough on top and knead/incorporate the flour into the dough. Gradually add an additional 1/2- 3/4 cups flour as you knead for 6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let double in size.



After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter, leaving 1/2 inch butter free on the long side of your rectangle. If you don't you won't be able to seal the dough. Sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon



mixture and roll up dough, pinching the seam well to seal, and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a well- greased (Crisco) 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.



Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 20 minutes. (cover with foil after getting golden so they won't get too brown) After removing from the oven, IMMEDIATELY invert the pan to remove rolls. If you wait too long, they won't come out easy!

Cream cheese icing: while rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls.

Admittedly, it's been years since I had a Cinnabon, so I cannot say that they taste just like the airport and mall treats, but they are light and fluffy, gooey, and delicious.

Beans, Beans, Good For Your Heart

The more you eat...

I grew up eating pinto beans, but never really mastered cooking them. I think because I never had the forethought to soak them overnight. I would rather just open a can of Luck's. And, with age has come a certain aversion to the after effects of beans.

I had a bag of dry pintos and a sudden desire for them so I decided to try them in the pressure cooker.

Ahhh, the pressure cooker. I have very little experience with it. My mother used it often, but refused to instruct me in using it and I never pursued it. She was terrified of it exploding and instilled that fear in me. However, I faced my fear and gave it a try.

I rinsed and picked through the beans before placing them in the pot with a chopped onion, 2 tsps of salt, 1 tsp of cumin, and about 6 cups of water. I tightened the lid and turned the stove to high. Once it started cooking, I lowered the heat to medium low and let it cook for 50 minutes.



I missed the smokiness of ham or bacon, but the texture was great and the taste was good. Of course, I could have added some ham or bacon to the cooked beans once the the pressure released and let them simmer for a while and will do so the next time I get a craving.

Of course, I made a pan of cornbread and a pot of turnip greens to fully countrify the meal.

I Saw It On FaceBook....

I saw this lovely cake on FaceBook and decided that I could make it.



So I looked around for the right cake and frosting recipes to suit me. I found a recipe from Smitten Kitchen for a basic yellow cake and a recipe on a cooking board for a vanilla buttercream. Then began the search for the candy. I finally had to suck it up and go to Walmart to find the Rainbow Twizzlers ( I hate going to WallyWorld and try to avoid it if at all possible.)

The cake almost went into the fail column...note to self: verify the size of your pans. I poured the batter into two prepared 9" cake pans but they were not 2" deep. They looked like giant mushrooms when they came out of the oven. I was, however, able to trim away the lip of excess.

I am a timid baker and am always terrified of running out of frosting, so I was a bit stingy with the filling. And I almost panicked when applying the crumb coat. But, as always, I wound up with an excess of frosting. Why can't I trust the recipe?

There was a department store in my home town during my youth that had a bakery under the direction of an amazing German pastry chef, and they made the very best cakes. The basic birthday cakes had a cherry nut filling that I adored. I decided to try may had at that and used about 3/4 cup of the buttercream with some chopped maraschino cherries and finely chopped pecans. It was pretty good!

Once frosted, I set about applying the decorations. I am not going to lie...I got tired and the frosting was drying so my finished product is far less elaborate than the one on FaceBook, but I think that it turned out pretty good.





If you are interested, here are the recipes that I used:

Best Yellow Layer Cake
www.smittenkitchen.com
Yield: Two 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers, and, in theory, 22 to 24 cupcakes, two 8-inch squares or a 9×13 single-layer cake.

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Restaurant Eve
This makes a generous amount of icing, so those with a not-so-sweet tooth may want to reduce the quantities or expect leftovers.

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 pounds (7 1/2 -8 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, (may substitute whole, low-fat or nonfat milk)
Food coloring (optional)
In a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until fluffy. On low speed, add the sugar in batches, increasing the speed to high after each addition is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and cream in a steady stream on low speed until incorporated. Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired. (Restaurant Eve uses red to make pink.) Beat on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until light and fluffy.
(And yes, I do see the note that says it makes a generous amount of icing.)

So, I hope to not see my attempt on the Pinterest Fail website one day.