Citrus Feta Quinoa Salad

 SALAD:

2 cups quinoa

3 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 bag of Trader Joe's Frozen Edamame

1 orange or any colored bell pepper

8 oz crumbled feta cheese

1/2 finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup basil, chopped chiffonade (google it)

 DRESSING:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

lemon zest

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Add the quinoa, water and salt to a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all water is absorbed.  Should take about 15 minutes.  

Spread on a sheet pan and chill in freezer or fridge. 

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  

Add the edamame, bell pepper,  onion, feta and quinoa (when chilled) to a large bowl.  Toss in the dressing and chill in fridge until ready to serve.  

 

Curried Broccoli Salad

Salad:
2 pounds broccoli crowns
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon
1 cup chopped pecans (toast in skillet before chopping)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, hulled
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of Madras curry powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Fill a large 6 to 8-quart pan with water and put over high heat to boil. Fill a large bowl or your sink with ice and water. While the water is heating, trim and clean the broccoli, cutting off about one inch from the bottom of each stem and splitting the crowns into 4 or 5 bunches, all about the same size.
When the water boils, add the kosher salt and then carefully add the broccoli. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and still somewhat firm, barely tender enough to pierce with a knife. Use a long-handled strainer or tongs to transfer the broccoli to the ice water bath. After 2 to 3 minutes, remove the broccoli from the ice water and transfer it to a colander to drain. Transfer the broccoli to a paper towel lined glass or stainless steel bowl
Roughly chop broccoli. To assemble the salad, toss the broccoli,bacon, pecans, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and chopped red onion into the serving bowl with the dressing.
If you like you can prepare this the night before as the flavors just get better.
Serves 6 to 8

Gramma's Strawberry Shortcake

Early  in day mix 3 pts Fresh from Florida strawberries-- cut in ½ --with sugar.  This should make a nice juicy mix.    Do not refrigerate.

Later, make the shortcake:

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar

3 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp salt

 Mix the above together and cut in (with pastry blender) ½ cup butter or margarine

Combine:

2/3 cup   ½ and ½

1 egg

Add egg mixture  to above and stir just enough to make a soft dough.  Knead slightly ( put flour on your hands and counter)

Pat ½ of dough into a well greased 8”  round cake pan.  Dot with butter.

Pat other ½ of dough on top

Bake 450’ 12 – 15  minutes

Cool

Split apart into 2 layers – spoon part of the  strawberries between layers

Spoon  the rest over the top.

Beat whipped cream using frozen bowl and beaters.  Lick beaters.  Top with whipped "crean."

A favorite at Cocoa Beach, especially of those with February Birthdays (Papa 2/2, Jared 2/18, Drew 2/9).

Lois Nozel's Hot Dish

BROWN in pan
3# ground beef
5 cloves garlic and a little oil

ADD
1 - 12 oz and 1- 6 oz can tomato paste
2large cans tomato juice (Buy 3 cans but don’t open the third one)
½ # Italian sausage cut into chunks (brown a little in the oven)
Heat on top of stove

ADD to sauce
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp basil
¾ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 small Pkg Sargento Capri cheese shredded (this is an old recipe, they maybe don’t
make this anymore, Use any kind of mozzarella cheese)
SIMMER 2 hours

Meanwhile, cook
2 Pkgs mosticollo noodles (don’t use Creamette brand they are to mushy) (even though
they come from St Paul
Put in big roaster pan (you might have to buy one of those aluminum turkey roasters)

ADD
All of the sauce
BAKE 1 hour uncovered 350’
ADD 1 pkg sliced pepperoni while in the oven
PS You might have to add part of the remaining can of tomato juice if it gets too dried
out. It depends on the noodles and the oven.

Serves 15 “big boy” servings

This was a favorite served at post-game parties for the STA Cadets football games. 

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

 

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and pepper

1/2 - 3/4 cup of honey

1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp fresh ground ginger

Cornstarch

Sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.
3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.
4. When done, remove chicken from crockpot and cut into chunks. Prior to putting the chicken back in the stockpot, combine some cornstarch in water and whisk it into the crockpot to thicken up the sauce a bit. Throw the chicken back in and stir around to recoat the chicken in the sauce.
5. Serve hot over a bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

I bought the jumbo pack of bonesless skinless chicken thighs at Sam's Club.  I used one and a half rows of them in this recipe.  The leftover chicken will be delicious in the chinese coleslaw bags of salad that we buy at Sam's everytime we go.    Perfect for lunch.
(the bags of coleslaw mix are so good, highly recommend - they come with the slaw, sliced almonds, wontons and dressing).  

Chicken Fricassee

Quick Chicken Fricassee

From America's Test Kitchen episode: Simply Chicken.

Serves 4 to 6

Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley leaves may be substituted for the tarragon in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
•   Table salt and ground black pepper
• 1tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 1/4cup dry white wine
• 1tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 1/2cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3cup sour cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 2teaspoons minced fresh tarragon (see note)

Instructions

• 1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat butter and oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, place chicken in skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until browned on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.
• 2. Add mushrooms, onion, and wine to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add broth and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in breasts and 175 degrees when inserted in thighs, 5 to 10 minutes.
• 3. Transfer chicken to clean platter and tent loosely with foil. Whisk sour cream and egg yolk together in medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly stir ½ cup sauce into sour cream mixture. Stirring constantly, slowly pour sour cream mixture into simmering sauce. Stir in nutmeg, lemon juice, and tarragon; return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Janice Prugh's Chocolate Waffles (New Year's Day)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
A pinch of cream of tartar (omit if you don't have it)

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, egg yolks and vanilla, then pour into the dry ingredients and combine.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually fold the beaten whites into the batter, 1/3 at a time.

Prepare waffles following directions for your waffle iron. For our waffle iron, be careful not to overfill the iron.  Also, let them cook a little longer than when the green light goes on to prevent sticking.  These are very light.

If you like, serve with vanilla ice cream on top.

I heard this on NPR and it sounded good.  We used to have "little smokies" on NYD, but the kids don't usually eat them, so we're trying this and bacon instead.  Could work out to be a "wonderful" tradition.