Category: Entres

Entre’s

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Louisiana Chicken Pasta

Delicious Parmesan crusted chicken is served over bow tie pasta over a spicy New Orleans sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tbsp butter (divided)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts thin (4 to 5 pieces)
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • ½ large yellow bell pepper chopped
  • ½ large red bell pepper chopped
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced

Sauce:

  • 1 cup chicken stock sodium free (adjust salt if not sodium free)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 10 oz bow tie pasta
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • First, paper towel dry the chicken and then prepare two bowls. One is for the egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Whisk this egg mixture slightly.
  • The second bowl is for the parmesan, bread crumbs and flour.
  • Dredge each chicken breast piece in egg/seasoning mixture. After that place in parmesan mixture and press. Turn to coat the other side of the chicken with parmesan mixture and press again. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces and place each coated parmesan chicken onto a plate or a cutting board.
  • TO COOK THE CHICKEN: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter on medium high in the stainless steel skillet. PLACE COATED CHICKEN in skillet and cook on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes one one side. DO NOT MOVE chicken otherwise the cheese will slide off surface before it adheres! Press down lightly with a spatula. TURN WITH TONGS when the first side is golden brown and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet onto a large plate.
  • Melt 2nd tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add sliced mushrooms to the hot pan and cook for a total of 3 minutes – 1.5 minute on each side.
  • Add chopped bell peppers and green onions, and a splash of olive oil. Cook for 4 minutes on medium high until softened. Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 additional minute until garlic is fragrant.
  • TO MAKE SAUCE: Add chicken stock, heavy cream, Cajun Seasoning, and salt to taste. 
  • TO COOK PASTA: In the meantime bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. For authentic “al dente” pasta, boil your pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally for 12 minutes. For more tender pasta, boil an additional 1 minute.
  • Add pasta to the pan and stir until fully coated in sauce. Add Parmesan to the sauce now. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. 
  • Slice chicken into thin strips and serve on top of pasta in individual plates. Sprinkle with additional shredded Parmesan and chopped fresh green onions, if desired.
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Butter Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

  • 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or finely grated)
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tbs butter + 1 tbs oil)
  • 1 large onion, sliced or chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or finely grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 14 oz (400 g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
  • 1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
  • Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
  • Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. 
  • Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
  • Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to 1/4 cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
  • Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

Notes

OPTIONAL: To thin out the sauce, add a couple tablespoons of ghee or butter at the end of cooking, and gently simmer it through. Alternatively, add a small amount of water.

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Pork Carnitas

3 tablespoons virgin olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

4 pounds pork shoulder, boneless, cut into 3 inch cubes

2 cups Coca-Cola- Mexican Cola Only!

3/4 cup orange juice (juice of 2 oranges)

3 chipotle peppers from a can

1/4 cup lime juice (juice of 2 limes)

1/4 cup pineapple juice – optional

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

2-3 Jalapeno peppers (with seeds and veins removed), chopped

Vegetable oil (or olive oil) for pan frying the carnitas

  1. Rinse the pork well. Dry it with paper towels. Create the spice rub: Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried spices to a small bowl. Mix well. Spoon spice rub over the pork. With clean hands, rub it all over the meat.
  2. Add the piece of pork (fat cap up) to inner steel pot of electric pressure cooker. Sprinkle chopped onion, jalapenos, chipotles, and minced garlic on top. Pour Coca-Cola and citrus juices over the meat.
  3. Lock pressure cooker lid in place. Cook for 80 minutes on high. Let pressure release naturally. For Mealthy Multi-Pot users: PRESSURE COOK + HIGH PRESSURE + NATURAL RELEASE. Cook for 80 minutes.
  4. After allowing pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, press CANCEL. Press and hold PRESSURE RELEASE for 3 seconds to quick-release remaining pressure. Carefully lift meat from pressure cooker and transfer to a plate. Reserve the liquid. With two forks, shred the pulled pork. Remove and discard chunks of fat.
  5. Heat oil in a large well-seasoned skillet or on the Blackstone over high heat.
  6. Work in batches so the pan is not crowded. Add carnitas to the pan. Drizzle some of the reserved liquid over the meat.
  7. Once carnitas have become golden and crisp on one side, flip them over with a spatula. Allow the second side to sear just briefly! All of the liquid should evaporate during this process, leaving you with perfectly crisp and tender carnitas. Repeat with remaining batches of pulled pork. To keep carnitas from drying out, drizzle a bit of reserved liquid over the meat to keep it  tender and juicy.
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Beef Stroganoff

Short Family Favorite

Ingredients:2 lbs ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup beef consomme or bouillion
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup sour cream mixed with 2 tablespoons flour (added at the end)
Directions:

  1. Brown ground beef in large skillet
  2. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until onion is golden brown.
  3. Put in crock pot with all remaining ingredients except sour cream.
  4. Stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.
  5. Stir in sour cream 1 hour before serving.
  6. Serve over hot buttered noodles or rice.
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Indian Summer Chicken

Shorts Family Favorite

ngredients:4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperatureDirections:

  1. Thinly slice chicken breast across the grain.
  2. Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat. When very hot, spoon in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Combine half of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the flour in a sturdy plastic or paper bag; twist or seal the top and shake vigorously to coat the chicken with flour. Add the floured chicken to the skillet and saute on one side until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Repeat, using the remaining chicken, flour, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
  3. Pour 1/2 cup of the broth into the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 or 3 minutes. Pour the glaze over the chicken pieces; clean the skillet.
  4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the oil into the pan; add the almonds and toast over moderately low heat, tossing for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and reserve. Add the raisins and toss for 15 to 20 seconds, or until lightly browned. Add to the chicken.
  5. In a cup, stir together the curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, cloves, and salt.
  6. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the skillet and set over moderate heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sizzle, mashing with a fork, for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in the spice mixture and cook for 10 seconds. Pour in 3/4 cup of the broth and bring to a full boil, stirring. Add the chicken and raisins and heat for 1 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heat to a simmer. If too thick, add about 1/4 cup more broth. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the slivered almonds.
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Wendy’s Chili

Shorts Family Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 14-oz can tomato sauce
1 14-oz can kidney beans (with liquid)
1 14-oz can pinto beans (with liquid)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup diced green chilies
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped (or 1 can of dices tomatoes with liquid)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chicken stock (or water)
I can of diced jalapeños(optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium heat; drain off the fat.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.
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Kung Pow Chicken

Note: double the sauce, and use vermouth instead of wine.

INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless
chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-
inch chunks (see note above)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white

pepper
1 teapsoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (see
note above)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame
oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Stir-Fry:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon distilled white
vinegar
2 tablespoons homemade or
store-bought low-sodium
chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable,
peanut, or canola oil, divided
1 large red bell pepper, cut into
3/4-inch dice
1 large green bell pepper, cut
into 3/4-inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into 3/4-
inch dice
1/2 cup roasted peanuts

2 teaspoons minced fresh
garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons minced fresh
ginger
1 scallion, white and light green
parts only, finely minced
8 small dried red Chinese or
Arbol chilies (see note above)

DIRECTIONS
1.For the Chicken: Combine chicken, salt, pepper,
soy sauce, wine, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch
in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside for 20
minutes.
2.For the Stir-Fry: Combine soy sauce, wine,
vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil, and

cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together until
homogenous. Set aside.
3.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat until
smoking. Add chicken, spread into a single layer,
and cook without moving until lightly browned,
about 1 minute. Continue cooking, tossing and
stirring frequently, until the exterior is opaque but
chicken is still slightly raw in the center, about 2
minute longer. Transfer to a clean bowl and set
aside.
4.Wipe out wok and heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil
over high heat until smoking. Add bell peppers and
celery and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally,
until brightly colored and browned in spots, about 1
minute. Add peanuts and toss to combine.
5.Push vegetables up side of wok to clear a space in
the center. Add garlic, ginger, scallions, and dried
chilies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30
seconds. Return chicken to wok and toss to
combine. Stir sauce and add to wok. Cook, tossing,
until sauce thickens and coats ingredients and
chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute longer.
Serve immediately.

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Sun Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pasta

Tags:Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2 cubes chicken bullion
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried basil (or up to 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil)
1/2 pound fettuccine pastaDirections:

  1. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add sliced mushrooms and garlic – and cook the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add diced sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce heat.
  2. Dissolve 2 cubes of chicken bouillon in 2 cups of boiling water. Carefully add the broth to the skillet – continue to cook the vegetables in a chicken broth on medium heat until the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes absorb some of the broth and the broth reduces somewhat. Add half and half, heavy cream and bring to boil just for a short moment. Add Parmesan cheese and cook the sauce, stirring, for a couple of minutes, on low-medium heat until the cheese melts. Add the basil.
  3. If your sauce is too thick at this point – add another 1/2 cup half and half. If your sauce looks thin to you – do not continue simmering the sauce to thicken it as you will be adding pasta shortly (in the next step) – and pasta will absorb some of the sauce liquid. Even if the sauce looks thin now, it will not be so thin once you add pasta.
  4. Cook fettuccine al dente according to the package instruction. Drain and rinse in cold water (this will stop the cooking). Add the fettuccine into the sauce and continue cooking the sauce with the pasta in it. on medium heat, for a couple of minutes (or more – to achieve the desired thickness) stirring constantly to coat well.
  5. Note: do not add salt to the creamy sauce because it should already be salty enough from the dissolved chicken cubes. Only in the very end when the sauce is done, you may add some salt if needed.
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Jambalaya

Short Family Recipe

Jambalaya
Tags: Beef Gluten Free Rice Seafood
Jambalaya
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt
pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz beef kielbasa, sliced
1 med onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups instant white rice
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 14-oz can low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp parsley
Directions:
Season shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside.
Brown kielbasa and drain on paper towels.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper and spices
and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, garlic and tomato paste and cook
until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in broth and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Add kielbasa. Cover and cook over
medium-low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Scatter shrimp over rice and continue to cook, covered, until rice is tender and shrimp are
cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and let sit for 2 minutes.

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Tikka Masala

This recipe is originally from Café-delights and has been adapted for our preferences. This is my favorite Indian food recipe that has a lot of heat with a ton of flavor.

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

  • 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 14 oz (400g) tomato puree (tomato sauce/Passata)
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (optional for colour and flavour)
  • 1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups of heavy or thickened cream (use evaporated milk for lower calories)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water if needed
  • 4 tablespoons Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 10 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
  • Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
  • Melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. 
  • Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
  • Pour in the tomato puree, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
  • Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, if needed.
  • Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve with fresh, hot basmati rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 1601mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1895IU | Vitamin C: 19.5mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 4.1mg