Chicken Tikka Masala

One:

Preheat oven 400 degrees; Place 1-2 lb chicken tenders a large casserole dish.

Set aside, you will be putting sauce over it.

Two:

In a bowl, mix together: 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 cup lowfat milk (any milk will do)

1 cup plain yogurt (I used greek)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons cilantro if you can get it (chopped)

seasonings:

2 tsp EACH of minced garlic; ground cumin; ground coriander.

1 tsp EACH of cinnamon; salt; ground ginger; paprika; garam masala (I bought this from the spice bins at Top foods, and instead of paying $6 for a bottle, I paid .48 for enough for 3 recipes)

Add a dash or red pepper, or pepper flakes, as you like.

Pour the whole thing over the chicken and put it in the oven, covered with a lid or foil.

Three:

Bake 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Halfway through start making a big pot of jasmine rice.

Eat!

Serve the chicken with lots of sauce over jasmine rice. I like to serve it in a bowl. A good vegetable with it would be steamed carrots, or green beans, or sauteed zucchini. A pot of jasmine tea at the table and dinner is ready!

Serves 2-4, depending how much chicken you use.

Taco Vegetable Soup

Taco Vegetable soup

Kind of like tacos, kind of like chili, kind of like vegetable soup.

One:

gather ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey breast 2 (16 oz) bags frozen vegetables (I picked one with corn and beans) 1 pkg. taco seasoning 1 49 oz can chicken broth 1 jar salsa (26 oz) tortilla chips, optional. Two: Mix ingredients (except chips) together in crock pot - cook on low for 8 hours Three: Serve with crumbled tortilla chips on top, cheese and sour cream if desired. Could also make it vegetarian by leaving out the turkey and adding a can of black beans. Makes 12 cups

Or use chicken breasts.  When done, fish them out and shred them, and put back into the soup.

serve with cornbread or homemade bread

Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Impress your friends by making your own
Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1.    ingredients:
1 clove chopped garlic
1 T Dijon mustard
3 T vinegar (champagne vinegar, basalmic rice wine)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

2. Mix first three ingredients, then add olive oil, while whisking.

3. Put in bottom of salad bowl. Add lettuce. Toss at mealtime.

This is a standard kind of "Italian" dressing. fresh or dried herbs could be added; another kind of vinegar can be used (rice vinegar, balsamic, etc.). Add in some grated parmeson for a change.

The best kind of lettuce is romaine, or something "baby", even spinach. Iceberg lettuce as a last resort.

Enchilada Casserole

Very easy! Very tasty!
...
ONE: Collect your ingredients:

1. 1 pound ground beef
2. 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
3. optional, but good: 1 small can diced ortega chilis, 1 small can sliced olives
4. 2 Tablespoons mild chili powder
5. 1/1/2 tsp cumin
6. 1/2 tsp salt
7. 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or pepper-jack)
8. 6 CORN tortillas
...
TWO: assemble.
1. brown beef; drain off grease
2. in same pan, add tomato sauce and everything else but the cheese and tortillas.
3. Find a round casserole dish the tortillas will fit into more or less flat.
4. Layer: Tortilla, meat sauce, cheese,
repeat, repeat, repeat etc. ending with sauce and cheese.
...
THREE: cook
1. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

EAT!

If you have some sour cream to go on top, that's good when you serve it. You could serve it with rice, or heated up refried beans and vegetable. Corn bread with honey on the side...Or just eat it out of the casserole. I like sour cream and sliced jalapenos on top. Should serve two. More if you have side dishes.
...
you could double the recipe and have it tomorrow night too.

Vinaigrette Dressing

Homemade oil and vinegar dressing.


One: Collect ingredients
...
1. 1 clove garlic - minced
2. 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3. 3 T vinegar (like rice wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, even cider vinegar works but it isn't dressing without some kind of vinegar!)
4. 1/2 cup olive oil
...
Two: Prepare
...
1. Use a large bowl, big enough to hold your salad
2. Put minced garlic, mustard and vinegar in the bottom of the bowl
3. Add olive oil, whisking as you add it.
...

Three: serve
...
1. Add your washed lettuce on top of the dressing,
2. Toss at mealtime.
...
EAT!
...
This tastes like Italian dressing. You could add more fresh herbs to it. This is the basic basic.
top with tomatoes, carrots, croutons if you like.
...
You can also mix it in a small bowl and just drizzle on what you want. It can be stored in the refrigerator, but after a couple of days it solidifies. Just let it come to room temperature and whisk it again.
...
This recipe came from a food network program I watched. Barefoot Contessa I think.

Mac 'n' Cheese (gourmet style)

LEMON PARMESAN PASTA

I have had this recipe for at least 10 years. Its always yummy and unbelievably easy!

ONE: Gather your ingredients.

1. 3/4 cup half & half

2. 1 T butter

3. 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (sometimes I used bottled).

4. 1 T grated lemon peel (sometimes I leave this out)

5. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (from the deli, not Kraft in a cardboard can!)

6. 1 1b pasta (I like bow tie pasta, or small penne). Spaghetti is good too.

TWO: Start cooking:

1. cook your pasta according to the directions on the box (set your timer and it will be perfect)

2. meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add in half & half; heat. At the last minute (just before adding to pasta), add in lemon juice and lemon peel.

3. meanwhile, when pasta is done, add 1 cup (approx) cold water to boiling pasta water. Drain into a colander. Return the pasta to the pot, add lemon/butter/half&half mixture.

4. Add in Parmesan. stir it all together. Put the lid on while you finish the rest of dinner (off the burner).

THREE: Add some salt, maybe a little pepper. Put a little sprinkle of more Parmesan on top. Something green like parsley would be pretty.

EAT! It is great served with a salad. Sometimes I serve grilled chicken or salmon with it (on the side). It should serve two for a main course, three as a side dish.

OR

I have recently discovered you can make this recipe in one pot!
refer to "One Pot Pasta" and make it like that.

My favorite recipe - Easy Chicken and Rice

ONE: Collect ingredients:
1. 2 frozen chicken breasts
2. 1 box rice with seasonings (like Farmhouse 4 oz mixes)
3. 1 small bag peeled baby carrots

TWO: Start cooking:
1. cut chicken up into large-ish bite size pieces; saute in a little oil for about 5 minutes
2. Add rice mix, seasoning, water, according to box directions;
3. add in peeled baby carrots
4. bring to a simmer
. . .
THREE: cook stovetop on low about 25 minutes, until rice is absorbed and carrots are tender. (check the rice box for time).
. . .
EAT! This can be your whole dinner - or serve a salad and garlic bread with it. It's like fast food, its so easy and takes one frying pan with a lid. This serves about TWO unless one is a 3 year old.
. . .
OPTIONS; This is where it gets interesting:
. . .
One time I made it with Spanish rice, and added in chicken, carrots, corn, and sprinkled cheese on top, and served with salsa and chips.
. . .
Another time I made it with garlic, frozen green beans and corn, added in some Parmesan and a T. of lemon juice, and sprinkled cut up tomatoes and jalapenos on top.
. . .
The main thing is for the vegetable to cook about the same amount of time as the rice. For example, you wouldn't want to put peas in, they'd be mush. But you could put them in at the last minute.

Farmer's Casserole

Farmer Blanchard's Casserole

One: Assemble your ingredients

1. 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns (get the cheap store brand)

2. 1-2 cups of meat: cubed ham, turkey ham, or forget the meat and put crumbled crispy bacon on top after its all finished.

3. 6 eggs and 1 can evaporated milk (or use 1 1/3 cups any kind of milk or cream or half&half) Whisk them together in a big measuring cup or bowl.

4. Cheese, shredded, to cover the top.

Two: Build the casserole

1. spray the 13 x 9 pan with cooking oil (or two 8 x 8's) or just wipe with oil so it doesn't all stick.

2. First layer: shredded potatoes - season a little on top if you want: garlic, onion, thyme or oregano

3. Second layer: meat

4. third layer: egg-milk mixture - yes, pour it over the top

5. fourth layer: grated cheese

Three: bake it.

350 degrees for 40 minutes. Check after 30 if you are unsure of your oven. It should be a little browned on top and obviously browned on the edges, and not jiggly.

Eat:

Cut into nice big squares. Serve between two pieces of toast or whole wheat hamburger buns, or with toast on the side. A glass of juice or half a grapefruit would be nice too.

Leftovers! warm in the microwave. You can make it ahead the night before, and cook in the morning. You can freeze it uncooked, and let it thaw a bit (overnight in refrigerator) and bake it in the morning.