General Tso's Chicken

yet another Pinterest recipe claiming to "make you never need to order Chinese take-out again!  It's that good!

Let's see...

INGREDIENTS

 3/4 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarcH

2  tablespoons sugar

2  tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

 1  tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 2  teaspoons peanut oil

2  medium scallions, chopped

2  medium garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1  dried chili, minced

 1  lb uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces

2  cups cooked white rice, kept hot

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger; set aside.Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic and pepper and cook 2 minutes.Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes.Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

VERDICT

It's good.  Better than real, honest to goodness greasy Chinese food?  I'll leave that up to you.

 

Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken

Spinach Artichoke dip is one of the greatest recipe inventions ever.  It's a staple at most any party you go to. So when I found this recipe for spinach artichoke dip on TOP of chicken, I had to give it a try.  Best appetizer ever disguised as a healthy dinner?  Let's try it!


INGREDIENTS
 
1lb chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
6oz 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
6oz plain Greek yogurt
10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
14oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut chicken breasts in half then season both sides with salt and pepper. Spray a 2qt baking dish with nonstick spray then place seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom. 

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add shallots. Season with salt and pepper then saute until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add cream cheese and Greek yogurt then stir until smooth. Remove skillet from heat then fold in spinach, artichoke hearts, and half the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Spoon mixture over chicken then smooth and cover with a piece of foil sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 20 minutes then remove foil and top with remaining cheeses. Bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly then let rest for 10 minutes before serving.


VERDICT

This.  Is.  Fabulous.  And with greek yogurt instead of mayo, it's healthier than your regular spinach artichoke dip appetizer too. 

Apple fritters

As I mentioned in a previous post, we have a LOT of apples in Upstate this year.  More apples than we were able to store in the freezer as apple sauce.

I've eaten an apple a day.  As have the kids.  But we're still facing a pile of fresh-picked apples sitting on the counter.  I thought it was time to try out a Pinterest recipe.

I've had mixed success with Pinterest crafts and other projects, but I haven't tried too many food recipes yet. So here goes...

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

1/2 cups sugar

3 T sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 eggs

3/4 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 T melted butter

2  apples, peeled and diced

Glaze:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cups milk

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a fork, then add milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Gently fold in the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in apples. Add enough apples to make a really chunky batter.

Heat a couple of inches of canola oil over medium heat. When it gets hot, drop a little bit of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and immediately floats to the top, the oil is ready. It it burns, turn oil down.

Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil, about six at a time. Make sure to flip them for even cooking. Cook them long enough that they are golden brown and that the batter is cooked through, this is about 2 minutes or so.

Remove and drain on a paper towel. Either dust generously with powdered sugar OR dip fritters in glaze...dip fritters while they are warm.

Serve immediately.

VERDICT

Greasy, but good.  But still I think I prefer the fritters at Wegman's.  I'm sure they're fried there too, but I think I actually prefer the taste and consistency to store bought here!

Credit:  The Pioneer Woman

Waffles with cinnamon apple topping

Apple season in Upstate NY has been AMAZING this year.  After last spring's late frost killed off most of the apple blossoms we weren't able to go apple picking last fall- and the apples that have been in the stores for the last year have been terrible.  But not any more!  This year was a bumper crop and the apples are the biggest I've ever seen.  

I lucked out a few weeks ago at the Public Market and scored a 1/2 bushel for $5 of Gala apples.  Not my favorite eating apple- but a great apple sauce apple.  $5 for literally 15 jars worth of apple sauce are now in my freezer.

We also went apple picking a the Victor Apple Farm (not quite so economical- $30 for that same 1/2 bushel's worth).  

So what do we do with all the apples?  Once you're sick of making apple sauce you give them to your husband to make breakfast!  Here's what he came up with on his own last weekend:

INGREDIENTS

2 apples, cored, peeled & sliced

1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

There is probably a recipe with more panache than this.  But we aren't those kind of cooks.  Throw everything in a frying pan over medium heat and cook until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve over pancakes or waffles.

VERDICT

Breakfast on the table and I didn't have to lift a finger?  Who am I to complain?

This is so quick and easy to whip up, it's the perfect fall breakfast.

Spaghetti squash with pesto and tomatoes

Part II of "Faux-Pasta" night.

This recipe did not interest my husband at all.  He's fine with real pasta.  But spaghetti squash?  That's pushing it just a little bit too far!

If you've never cooked with spaghetti squash before, it's worth trying at least once.  You may not be able to convince yourself that this vegetable is a suitable replacement for real pasta, but it does make a unique side dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 small spaghetti squash

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup prepared pesto (use the store-bought kind, try this garlic scape pesto, or whip up a quick batch with this recipe here:

     15 large basil leaves

     1 small clove garlic

     1/4 cup olive oil

           3 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano

     salt and fresh pepper

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the squash, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers.  Cook by either baking at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes or by microwaving for 8-9 minutes.  Once cooked, use a fork and  scoop out flesh into a large bowl.

If you're making pesto with the ingredients above, toss into a food processor and process until well blended (will still be chunky)

When everything is ready combine spaghetti squash, pesto, and chopped tomatoes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

VERDICT

Although he wasn't thrilled about "faux-pasta" night, my husband quickly relented when he came home and realized I was cooking with vegetables, and not some kind of odd gluten free imitation pasta.  Still, he's not a big fan of either spaghetti squash or pesto.  But this?  I got his seal of approval.  Mostly for the eggplant lasagna stacker, but this pesto spaghetti squash didn't last long on his plate either.

Eggplant rolatini/Eggplant lasagna

I declared last night "Faux-pasta" night.  

Between this eggplant lasagna rolatini and the spaghetti squash with pesto, it was Italian without the gluten!  

There are two versions of this recipe using the same ingredients.  I found the rolatinis to be a bit time consuming, and honestly my eggplants weren't the right shape to make long, thin strips with.  I had one big fat eggplant so I cut that into big coins and made an eggplant lasagna stacker.  But I'll get to that in the directions portion.

INGREDIENTS

 2 medium Italian eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices (use a mandolin slicer or vegetable peeler)

salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce of choice 

 1 large egg

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

 8 oz frozen spinach, or 1 cup fresh

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella 

1 tomato, chopped

DIRECTIONS

For version A (rolatinis):

Sprinkle the eggplant with kosher salt to help remove excess moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry with a towel.
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Season the eggplant with a little more salt and pepper,  then arrange on two parchment-lined baking sheets.  Cover tightly with foil and bake until eggplant is tender and pliable but NOT fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Spread 1/4 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg then mix together with ricotta, Pecorino Romano, spinach, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.  If using fresh spinach, keep separate.

Pat eggplant dry with paper towels.  Dividing the ricotta-spinach mixture (about 2 generous tablespoons each) evenly and spoon onto one end of each eggplant slice, spreading to cover.  (if using fresh spinach, layer fresh leaves on top of cheese).  Add fresh chopped tomatoes on top of cheese.  Starting at the short end, roll up slices and arrange them each seam side down in the prepared dish.  Top with remaining pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese and tightly cover with foil.

Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 60 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving with additional Pecorino Romano if desired.

For version B (lasagna stackers):

Forget the peeling, salting, and pre-baking.  Cut eggplant into coins.  Start stacking, alternate between eggpant, cheese, spinach, and tomatoes (you can also cut tomatoes in slices instead of dicing here).  Top with final layer of sauce and cheese.  Bake for same amount of time.

VERDICT

Obviously the same ingredients.  But you would be surprised at the different taste in the two different preparation methods. For the stackers I used sliced tomatoes, which gave the lasagna a sweeter taste.  

But either way you choose to make these you can't miss.  You won't miss the lasagna noodles at all! 

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 2 rollatini, or one stacker (depending on size of eggplant slices)

Calories: 227 

Fat: 10 g 

Carb: 18 g 

Fiber: 5 g 

Protein: 17 g 

Credit:  Based on a recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Tomatillo Salsa

Yes, salsa making is still in full swing.  But after 6 batches (roughly 50 jars) of regular old tomato salsa we decided to move on to more unique recipes.  First it was the hot pepper jelly, and now Tomatillo Salsa.  

What the hell is a tomatillo?  It's a green thing that came in my CSA share, ok?  I had to look up a recipe to use it up, and this is what I came up with.

First, this is a tomatillo:

Next, the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

5-1/2 cups chopped cored husked tomatillos
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
1 cup chopped jalapenos

4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vinegar
4 Tbsp lime juice

DIRECTIONS

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and chop.  Transfer to a large saucepan.

Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Ladle hot salsa in to hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

Process  filled jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool.  Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. 

VERDICT

So you may not want to use this many jalapeno peppers.  This stuff is SPICY!