Chicken Tenders with Black Beans and Rice

A few of the dishes I put up may get a reaction of "This is considered gourmet?"
In my world, freshly made food  always deserves recognition and I would be remiss not to share these quasi gourmet recipes with you as well as the others.
The comfort food my family gravitate to often includes these. I had a friend while living in Brooklyn who would make this next dish with lovely flavors. Her family didn't have a lot of money, so it was intriguing to me how she made it seem like a meal for kings! I was inspired to make it for my family and it immediately became a hit. I modified it in using tenders instead of whole chicken pieces, but that means I can freeze extras if there are any and use them for salads or another meal.

I used Red and White Kidney Beans here

Feeds 6

Ingredients

Chicken for 6 ( either pre-cut into strips or hand cut from breasts)
5 cups all purpose flour
1 1/ 2 cups of bread crumbs
5 eggs whisked
4 cups of frying oil
Seasoning for your flour (I think my new favorite is All Spice,sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, or try cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, add to taste)
3 cups of rice
4 cups of black beans ( See how to prepare beans from dried in the recipe for  Bean Burritos under Mexican) dried or canned
2 cups of shredded cheese
Butter for your rice
Sea salt and black pepper

Prepare

* Put your rice on to cook, when done take off heat and leave covered
* Heat up your beans and set aside covered
* In a deep pan or wok, heat up your frying oil
* Alternate your chicken stripes into the egg mixture and then the flour/bread crumbs mixture making sure you coat really well
* Add your strips to the hot oil and cook until golden brown, turning once with tongs
* Place on a platter lined with paper towel
* Place your rice, butter if desired and then beans and sprinkle some cheese, salt and pepper if desired

* Give each person 3 to 4 chicken strips to start.



TRY ALL KINDS OF BEANS!!
Use Rice Flour and make rice cracker " bread crumbs"  for Gluten free!
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes to make it lighter!

Skillet Steak with Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms & Carrots

SOOOOOOOOOOOO............
When I did my weekly food shop I challenged myself to go very minimal and to not go over a certain price range with the items I was buying.
This meant my menu shopping mentality... which I do on occasion to save my mind the brain from going into the dreaded "melt down phenomena" (which more than likely brought YOU here to this web site!) had to be left behind.

I found a few really incredible deals,  one of which was the skirt steak that I have here today. It isn't skirt steak though. Don't be annoyed with me, I forgot to write down the name of the cut. They were fairly thin and about 6 inches all around circumference wise.

My big guys had a bad day. The van broke down in 114 degree weather, and when they got home I knew they would need happy belly food.
I always have potatoes on hand because I LOVE them, and some kind of veg, fresh or frozen... my shop led to the mushrooms.. the rest is history...
Grumpy bug was gone and everyone went to bed happy!

Feeds 6


Ingredients

 8 Small Steaks
1 small pint of  brown mushrooms wiped down and sliced
1 onion thinly sliced
1 small package of baby carrots
4 large potatoes peeled and quartered
1 cup of Milk
Half a stick of butter
3 tsp dried  rosemary
2 Tbs Herbs De Provence
2 tsp sea salt
1tsp of black pepper
 3 Tbs olive oil

Prepare 

* Take  your beef out of the fridge and unwrap. Place on the counter and allow to go room temperature, about 30 minutes, sprinkle both sides with Herbs De Provence, salt and a tiny drizzle of olive oil
* Boil your water for your potatoes, and when boiling put your potatoes in until tender, about 15 minutes, drain, put 5 TBS of butter in, milk and cover
* In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs of butter and 1 tsp of olive oil
* Throw your mushrooms and onions and rosemary, salt and pepper in pan and saute until light golden, turn off heat and set aside
* In a small pan bring water and a pinch of salt to a boil and throw your carrots in for about 4 minutes, drain, cover and set aside
* In a cast iron skillet that is HOT put your meat in and allow to cook 4 minutes on each side leaving alone while it cooks on each side, meat will be medium
*Mash your potatoes and add sea salt and pepper as desired
* Dress your plate with your yummy food and enjoy !!

Pasta with Salmon, Asparagus, Sun Dried Tomato, Capers and Feta Cheese

Very often I am rummaging around in my freezer and pantry...knowing that I have a few more days to make things work before we get paid.
I can not stress enough to get your pantry stocked with a few basics, and then use this sight to inspire yourself or give you a  whole new idea for a new recipe...
Most things I make are almost entirely from something I find on sale, unless I am having a week with a planned menu where I will buy things geared for those dishes.
I do both depending on my schedule and creativity levels!
Menu weeks are weeks where I don't want to think at all about what I am going to make, the flip side....shopping sales and making what I can out of what I buy which is typically when I am  needing to stretch the money a bit more...
This next dish is a "gotta make it work with what I have" dish, and we were all, including the kids, thrilled with how it turned out! My husband picked up the Asparagus and Feta for me, but I had everything else on hand.

Feeds 6

Ingredients

4 individually frozen salmon fillets

20 or 25 baby asparagus spears cut into 1 inch pieces
(See Cooking Class 1  under "How To Video's" if your not sure how to do this)

1 Tsp of Capers
4 Tbs of thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes and a splash of the oil they come in..
4 to 6 oz fresh feta cheese
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine
 2 tsp Sea salt
 1 tsp Crushed red pepper
2 Tsp Marjoram
2 Tsp Basil
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 1/2 a stick Salted Butter ( About 4 Tbs )
Water from your pasta that is cooking, about 1 cup
2 Pounds of Pasta (any kind) I used fettuccine for this dish

Fresh Feta

Prepare

* Put the water for your pasta in a big pot and throw in a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt into the water, turn on high, cover and allow to boil
* Put a splash of olive oil and your minced garlic into a very large saute pan on medium and start browning your garlic, allowing it to get all it's lovely flavor into the olive oil..
* Add your pasta to the boiling water and turn down to medium heat
* Add your salmon (still frozen!!!) into the pan and add 1/2 of your white wine, sun dried tomato and capers to the pan and cover.. flip your fillet over after about 3 minutes
*Add your spices
* Add your asparagus, the rest of your wine, about 1/2 cup of the water from your pasta and the rest of your butter.. cover and turn heat to low
* Drain your pasta and then add to your saute pan, mix really well and again cover and leave for about 3 minutes
* Place your pasta onto a plate and then crumble some Feta cheese on the top. Add Sea salt and crushed red pepper if desired...

Not Your Momma's Salad!

  I have had so many fantastic conversations with people about why I am doing this sight!!
 Aside from the financial reasons and my love of all foods from around the world.. my next motive and drive is feeding my family and my own body, fresh, nutritious life giving food.

If and when you are detoxing or trying to lose a few pounds because of the other yummy food you eat, this is sure to delight your taste buds, and give your body an extra protein kick that is also very Gluten free/ Vegetarian friendly for you.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Hand full of Red Leaf Lettuce
Bunch of Baby Spinach
Firm Tofu
1/2 Can of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 Carrot cut into thin slices
1 Avocado diced
4 grape tomatoes cut in quarters
5 mushrooms wiped and sliced
1/4 of a red onion finely sliced
2 oz or so of cheese ( I like cheddar ) cubed
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
Pepper



Prepare

 * In a saute pan add a splash of olive oil and heat to mid- high
* Drain your tofu and pat dry with a paper towel
* Cut your Tofu in half horizontally
* Pat dry again
* Add your Tofu to the pan add a splash of balsamic and cover with a lid
* Let it brown for 4 minutes, uncover and flip over
* Add more balsamic and olive oil
* After the other side has lightly browned, remove and put on a cutting board
* When cool cub the tofu
*Rinse and tear all your lettuce and spinach, pat dry and place on your plates
* Add the mushrooms
* Add your onion
* Add your avocado
* Add your tomatoes
* Add your carrot
* Add your Tofu
* Add your cheese
* Dress your salad with a splash of olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper ( Try crushed red pepper for a kick! )

Deluxe Bagel with Cream Cheese and Lox

When I was pregnant with my oldest son, I went to Miami to join friends for New Years Eve.
Very often  in the modeling world, you can  extend a nice holiday if you are in a good modeling market. You see, you can sign up with an agency and work, making up some of your out of pocket traveling expenses and sometimes even having earned enough to save up  for the  next market until you start working there too.
It was wonderful to be able to be on the ocean for those first months of pregnancy and I really enjoyed my time there.
While I was there, I came upon this next 'recipe'. A deluxe version of Bagels and cream cheese. It is something I crave every few months, and because of that I know someone else will either be reminded of this lovely tasting breakfast sandwich, or turned on to it for the first time...I think it would be a fun brunch item too and super easy as there is no cooking involved unless you make your bagels.

Ingredients

1 Bagel per person ( I like everything bagels or salt bagels)
Thinly sliced Lox, about 4 oz per person
Shredded red leaf lettuce
Capers
Red Onion thinly sliced
Slight squeeze of lemon
Cracked black pepper
Butter


Prepare

* Toast and butter your bagel
* Add your cream cheese
* Dot lots or a few capers in the cream cheese, helps them not roll off!
* Add Lox, squeeze a touch of lemon and some pepper
* Add your onion and lettuce


*Also try adding avocado, alfalfa sprouts and tomato slices 

Wine Suggestion- Sparkling Reisling

Chicken Noodle Soup

When I was a little girl, my great grandparents moved to live near my family. My Great Grandma Esther was a lovely, zesty little thing of about 4ft 10 inches.. well maybe 5 ft but honestly not much taller than that.
Every once in awhile we would go to their home for dinner  and sometimes if we were lucky, we would get homemade chicken noodle soup. She even made the egg noodles by hand!


Through the years with my boys, all 4 of them, I have found it a struggle to get more than a few vegetables into their diets. Soup is the most brilliant solution. I add all kinds of things to it  while it  is cooking and then when the veg becomes soggy and all the lovely vitamins are in the broth you simply take them out and no one even knows they were in there...how clever is that?
Also just note worthy, the old wives tale is that the longer you cook the chicken, and the bones soften, that something in the bone marrow is like an elixir. It is good to strengthen big and little bodies, and ward off the common cold. We love it and it can often be frozen and used for another meal.

Serves 6 to 12




Ingredients

2 Parsnipes, skin on
2 Medium white onions
3 Whole peeled cloves of garlic
6 Washed whole carrots, skin on
6 Washed whole celery stocks with the tops 
1  Washed rutabaga, skin on cut in half
3 Whole washed, trimmed top and bottom leeks
1 Large Whole Chicken (cleaned if needed)
1/4 cup fish sauce ( Trust me! )
Water
Splash of olive oil
1 Whole sprig of  Thyme
1 Whole bunch of Basil
Peppercorns
Sea Salt
2 pounds of egg noodles or any kind of pasta
1 loaf of fresh bread
Generous chunk of cheddar cheese


Prepare

* In a very large pot, put a splash of olive oil and the onion and garlic
* On medium high heat, brown your  whole chicken slightly on all sides taking care not to burn the garlic
* Cover the chicken with water + 4 inches
* Add your rutabaga, parsnipes, leeks, 3 carrots and 3 celery stalks to your pot
* Add the fish sauce, a generous pinch of peppercorns and pinch of salt
* Cover and simmer on low heat for 6 or more hours, checking every hour to make sure there is water still covering the chicken, if needed fill with water to original place
*When the chicken looks as if it is falling off the bone, turn heat off and let it cool down for about an hour before trying to remove stuff
* On a platter, put the chicken, place the vegetables from the broth in a bowl ( I will munch on these for the next few days, just refrigerate when the cool to room temp)
* With a slotted spoon get the peppercorn out of the broth
* Shred the chicken and put back into the broth
* Add the last 3 carrots sliced, the last 3 Celery stocks sliced and the fresh herbs tied together with string and simmer together on low heat  for another 30 minutes
* Add your pasta and cook until al dente ( not to mushy, still firm) * See below
* Place your soup in bowls, cut your bread and cheese and serve making sure soup is a bit cooled


* If you think you have extra to freeze, don't put the pasta in the broth to cook, cook it  separately as the pasta will deteriorate and become mushy when you re-heat the soup

Nachos

 Maybe not a gourmet dish, but while eating out we have seriously paid $12.00 for 10 tortilla chips with little 'nacho like' cheese and beans and sometimes chicken on them !!!!  Like a joke!

My mother in law made Nachos lots when we lived in Brooklyn, NY  so of course we made them in England when we were missing everyone, but then also because it was a lovely weekend noshy thing. Sometimes they are simple with only beans, cheese and hamburger or chicken and sometimes they get fancier...in any case always around a budget and easy to add things on that you like.. be creative! And please remember dear friends with less people in their household that ANY recipe can very easily be modified to smaller numbers!!! And like wise doubled! Also very easily a lovely dish without meat for my vegetarian friends!!

 

Feeds 4 adults



Ingredients

Plain salted tortilla chips
4 cups of shredded cheese ( cheddar is nice!)
1 pound hamburger meat or 4 cups of shredded chicken
1 jar of salsa
1 small can of olives drained
1/2 can of corn drained
1 can of red kidney beans drained, or 2 1/2 cups of pre- made beans ( see bean burritos for recipe)
1/4 cup of pickeled jalapeneos drained
1 small pint of sour cream
1 handful of cilantro
2 diced avacodos
cumin
garlic salt
black pepper
1 lime (if using chicken)


Prepare
* Pre- Heat oven to 375 degrees
* Get a large backing dish and layer the bottom with tortilla chips
* In a pan, cook the hamburger or chicken adding cumin, garlic salt and pepper to taste, at the end beans to the mixture to heat them up a bit and absorb the flavors
* If cooking with chicken ( I tend to use a whole chicken that is already roasted or left over and shred it and re heat it), when it is cooked turn the heat off and squeeze the lime over it mixing it up
* Add the cheese to the tortilla chips and mix it in with your hands a bit to distribute it
* Add the meat and beans
* Add the corn
* Add olives
* Add jalapenoes
* Add salsa
* Put in the oven until cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes or so..
* Add the cilantro, avacado and sour cream on to your plated up nachos!!!!!

*I eat them with a knife and fork because they are so messy

Wine Suggestion- California Zinfindel