Monday 28 December 2015
Dutch Girl Dinners: Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued
Dutch Girl Dinners: Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued: This post is about meat....fresh, frozen, leftover or purchased from the deli counter on your way home, how to make it appetizing, or ideas ...
Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued
This post is about meat....fresh, frozen, leftover or purchased from the deli counter on your way home, how to make it appetizing, or ideas to make it different that just plain meat, potatoes, veg/salad dinner.
*Frozen preformed hamburgers, Homemade or purchased
-mashed while cooking, add leftover veggies, mix in quart of beef stock for soup;
-can be made into any kind of burger, Mexican flavour-try using pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole,
hot peppers, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, blue cheese,
barbeque sauce, hot salsa mixed with mayonaise, garlic and green onions mixed with mayonaise;
-cooked, crumbled, mixed into macaroni and cheese dinner, mixed with chili powder and fresh cherry tomatoes;
-hot hamburger sandwiches, (frozen burger heated with can/package gravy, over bread)with veggies;
-broken up into your favourite pasta sauce for a quick meaty pasta;
-Crumbled up to make sloppy joes, spice mix from a package/can;
-Add it to a can of thick soup, over left over mashed potatoes, or rice;
-Crumbled up,fried, added to canned or packaged gravy over frozen French fries, with your fav cheese,a great poutine;
-crumbled up, fried with a bit of onion, chili powder, can of drained rinsed,red beans, and cooked rice to make southern dirty rice;
-cut into halves, with fried mushrooms and onions tucked into a 4-6 inch piece of crusty bread, cheese optional;
*Sausages
Italian
-cut into slices, cooked with escarole, left over potatoe slices, pinch crushed chili, vegetable boullion, add a cup of milk, makes a potatoe/sausage/greens soup like Olive Garden;
-remove casing, fried with onions and peppers and fresh cherry tomatoes, tucked into mini sub rolls;
-sausage slices, cooked,add to your tomato sauce, frozen or jar, over penne pasta;
-sausage meat, casing removed, fried with onions, canned tomatoe sauce, add your fav spices,served over polenta;
-any sausage rolled into pilsberry refridgerator crescent rolls, baked and served with brown beans and/or eggs;
-breakfast sausage cooked, added to frittata(baked eggs/vegetables);
Bavarian or Oktoberfest
-sausages, baked with sliced potatoes(left-over/frozen hash browns) and sauerkraut, serve with mustard and rye bread;
-sausages, fried with onions and kraut tucked into pretzel flavoured rolls;
-sausages cooked with Dutch Girl red cabbage, left over(recipe on Dutch Girl Dinners), served with mash potatoes;
-any type of sausage meat, cut into slices, mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, along with salad;
Chorizo or any Hot Spicy Sausage
-cooked, chopped into Spanish rice,made with a package or homemade;
-chopped, cooked with hot or sweet peppers,tucked into cheesy crusty garlic bread;
-chopped cooked with jar salsa, scrambled egg, tucked into heated flour tortillas;
Chicken Sausage
-cooked, sliced mixed with Alfredo sauce and sun dried tomatoes, over ziti/penne pasta;
-cooked without casing, made into white chili with white kidney beans, cumin, Mexican green chilies, veg stock and a cup of cream.
Any kind of deli meat, sliced thick, or left over meat from roast beef or pork
-paired with any type of potatoes, left over, frozen Hash browns, packaged scalloped potatoes;
-Chef salad;
-leftover pork shredded with barbeque sauce served with slaw and soft bread rolls;
-any type of left over meat, deli, sausage, hamburger, mixed with packaged rice or pasta mix(Knorr, uncle bens, Lipton);
-Cut into can soup, can stew, can beans;
-Heated and served with deli potato salad,and coleslaw, rye bread/rolls;
-sliced ham, chopped with green onions and egg made into western omelets;
-hot roast beef sandwiches, from deli slices, heated with gravy and over bread;
-roast beef, fried mushrooms and onions, flavoured horseradish mayonaise tucked into crusty rolls, salad;
-Italian style deli meats paired with olives, cheeses, grapes, crackers,served with your favourite soup;
-any kind of deli meat and cheese made into quesadilla, served with guacamole and salsa;
-chopped ham mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, and crunchy celery, on the side
-mashed while cooking, add leftover veggies, mix in quart of beef stock for soup;
-can be made into any kind of burger, Mexican flavour-try using pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole,
hot peppers, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, blue cheese,
barbeque sauce, hot salsa mixed with mayonaise, garlic and green onions mixed with mayonaise;
-cooked, crumbled, mixed into macaroni and cheese dinner, mixed with chili powder and fresh cherry tomatoes;
-hot hamburger sandwiches, (frozen burger heated with can/package gravy, over bread)with veggies;
-broken up into your favourite pasta sauce for a quick meaty pasta;
-Crumbled up to make sloppy joes, spice mix from a package/can;
-Add it to a can of thick soup, over left over mashed potatoes, or rice;
-Crumbled up,fried, added to canned or packaged gravy over frozen French fries, with your fav cheese,a great poutine;
-crumbled up, fried with a bit of onion, chili powder, can of drained rinsed,red beans, and cooked rice to make southern dirty rice;
-cut into halves, with fried mushrooms and onions tucked into a 4-6 inch piece of crusty bread, cheese optional;
*Sausages
Italian
-cut into slices, cooked with escarole, left over potatoe slices, pinch crushed chili, vegetable boullion, add a cup of milk, makes a potatoe/sausage/greens soup like Olive Garden;
-remove casing, fried with onions and peppers and fresh cherry tomatoes, tucked into mini sub rolls;
-sausage slices, cooked,add to your tomato sauce, frozen or jar, over penne pasta;
-sausage meat, casing removed, fried with onions, canned tomatoe sauce, add your fav spices,served over polenta;
-any sausage rolled into pilsberry refridgerator crescent rolls, baked and served with brown beans and/or eggs;
-breakfast sausage cooked, added to frittata(baked eggs/vegetables);
Bavarian or Oktoberfest
-sausages, baked with sliced potatoes(left-over/frozen hash browns) and sauerkraut, serve with mustard and rye bread;
-sausages, fried with onions and kraut tucked into pretzel flavoured rolls;
-sausages cooked with Dutch Girl red cabbage, left over(recipe on Dutch Girl Dinners), served with mash potatoes;
-any type of sausage meat, cut into slices, mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, along with salad;
Chorizo or any Hot Spicy Sausage
-cooked, chopped into Spanish rice,made with a package or homemade;
-chopped, cooked with hot or sweet peppers,tucked into cheesy crusty garlic bread;
-chopped cooked with jar salsa, scrambled egg, tucked into heated flour tortillas;
Chicken Sausage
-cooked, sliced mixed with Alfredo sauce and sun dried tomatoes, over ziti/penne pasta;
-cooked without casing, made into white chili with white kidney beans, cumin, Mexican green chilies, veg stock and a cup of cream.
Any kind of deli meat, sliced thick, or left over meat from roast beef or pork
-paired with any type of potatoes, left over, frozen Hash browns, packaged scalloped potatoes;
-Chef salad;
-leftover pork shredded with barbeque sauce served with slaw and soft bread rolls;
-any type of left over meat, deli, sausage, hamburger, mixed with packaged rice or pasta mix(Knorr, uncle bens, Lipton);
-Cut into can soup, can stew, can beans;
-Heated and served with deli potato salad,and coleslaw, rye bread/rolls;
-sliced ham, chopped with green onions and egg made into western omelets;
-hot roast beef sandwiches, from deli slices, heated with gravy and over bread;
-roast beef, fried mushrooms and onions, flavoured horseradish mayonaise tucked into crusty rolls, salad;
-Italian style deli meats paired with olives, cheeses, grapes, crackers,served with your favourite soup;
-any kind of deli meat and cheese made into quesadilla, served with guacamole and salsa;
-chopped ham mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, and crunchy celery, on the side
Tuesday 22 December 2015
Quick Dinner Ideas Continued
This is the final post in this series of quick dinner ideas. Many of us have used canned fish for sandwiches or salad, but how about salmon loaf, crab cakes, or tuna melt? These all sound complicated but are easy to make and takes just a few minutes from start to finish.
Canned Salmon or Canned Crabmeat
-salmon cakes/loaf: 1-14 ounce can salmon or 2-7 ounce cans, drained, flaked, add an egg, a sprinkle of pepper, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons mayonaise, a pinch of Old bay seasoning or dill or summer savory, mix together then pat into cakes or a small loaf, bake 350 degrees F, until it is hot 10-12 minutes, (add salt at table)serve with crusty bread, toasted English muffins, or with mashed potatoes and salad;
-creamed salmon with peas-1-7 ounce can salmon, drained, make a classic white sauce (or from package)2 tablespoons butter, melted, 2 tablespoons flour,pinch salt, pepper, dill, mixed into butter, heat for about 1 minute, add 1 cup milk, stir with whisk, heat until thick and bubbly, add salmon, and defrosted peas, heat through,whole dish can be cooked in microwave, serve over mashed potatoes, toast or dip crusty bread into mixture, with salad;
-add salmon to any Alfredo sauce over pasta,rice
-add salmonor tuna to packaged rice pilaf, serve with broccoli
-add salmon to chef salad, with hard boiled eggs, white cheddar, bread sticks
-salmon salad to whole wheat mini tortillas/or bread and cucumber slices
Canned Tuna or Canned Crabmeat
- classic tuna melt- toast crusty bread, bagels, English muffins, then mix the tuna with mayonaise,chopped green onion, salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice; lay toasted bread slices on baking sheet, cover with tuna mixture, add slices of cherry tomato, cover tomato slices with shredded mozzarella, or other white cheese, pop in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, serve with cucumber slices, celery sticks; can use a flour tortilla and make a wrap instead;
- tuna is great in a quick Italian style salad: to washed and dried romaine/mixed greens, add a can of Romano/mixture of beans, drained and rinsed, thinly sliced small red onion, chunks of cucumber and a few cherry tomatoes, and jar artichokes, cut up, use Italian dressing, or use oil from the artichokes with white wine vinegar, garlic salt and pepper, mix altogether, top with shaved Parmesan cheese, serve with crusty bread;
- to mixed greens, a few small cooked red potatoes,a handful of cooked green beans, hard boiled eggs,tuna, compose a nicoise salad, use oil and vinegar as dressing, serve with crusty bread or bread sticks;
-add tuna to any Alfredo sauce with sharp cheese over macaroni or penne, slice a few grape tomatoes or use sun dried tomatoes;
- mix tuna with dry mash potatoes,chopped dill and green onions,mix all together to make cakes, if the cakes don't hold together, (add an egg and a bit of breadcrumb until they do)place on parchment covered baking pan, add dots of butter to each cake, heat in 350 degree F oven until golden brown, serve with broccoli, or green beans;
-salmon cakes/loaf: 1-14 ounce can salmon or 2-7 ounce cans, drained, flaked, add an egg, a sprinkle of pepper, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons mayonaise, a pinch of Old bay seasoning or dill or summer savory, mix together then pat into cakes or a small loaf, bake 350 degrees F, until it is hot 10-12 minutes, (add salt at table)serve with crusty bread, toasted English muffins, or with mashed potatoes and salad;
-creamed salmon with peas-1-7 ounce can salmon, drained, make a classic white sauce (or from package)2 tablespoons butter, melted, 2 tablespoons flour,pinch salt, pepper, dill, mixed into butter, heat for about 1 minute, add 1 cup milk, stir with whisk, heat until thick and bubbly, add salmon, and defrosted peas, heat through,whole dish can be cooked in microwave, serve over mashed potatoes, toast or dip crusty bread into mixture, with salad;
-add salmon to any Alfredo sauce over pasta,rice
-add salmonor tuna to packaged rice pilaf, serve with broccoli
-add salmon to chef salad, with hard boiled eggs, white cheddar, bread sticks
-salmon salad to whole wheat mini tortillas/or bread and cucumber slices
Canned Tuna or Canned Crabmeat
- classic tuna melt- toast crusty bread, bagels, English muffins, then mix the tuna with mayonaise,chopped green onion, salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice; lay toasted bread slices on baking sheet, cover with tuna mixture, add slices of cherry tomato, cover tomato slices with shredded mozzarella, or other white cheese, pop in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, serve with cucumber slices, celery sticks; can use a flour tortilla and make a wrap instead;
- tuna is great in a quick Italian style salad: to washed and dried romaine/mixed greens, add a can of Romano/mixture of beans, drained and rinsed, thinly sliced small red onion, chunks of cucumber and a few cherry tomatoes, and jar artichokes, cut up, use Italian dressing, or use oil from the artichokes with white wine vinegar, garlic salt and pepper, mix altogether, top with shaved Parmesan cheese, serve with crusty bread;
- to mixed greens, a few small cooked red potatoes,a handful of cooked green beans, hard boiled eggs,tuna, compose a nicoise salad, use oil and vinegar as dressing, serve with crusty bread or bread sticks;
-add tuna to any Alfredo sauce with sharp cheese over macaroni or penne, slice a few grape tomatoes or use sun dried tomatoes;
- mix tuna with dry mash potatoes,chopped dill and green onions,mix all together to make cakes, if the cakes don't hold together, (add an egg and a bit of breadcrumb until they do)place on parchment covered baking pan, add dots of butter to each cake, heat in 350 degree F oven until golden brown, serve with broccoli, or green beans;
Mexican Wedding Cookies aka Pecan Sandies
My mother used to make these at Christmas, rolling the dough around candied red and green cherries, but these cookies are great as they are.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Oven 325 degrees F
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup pecans, toasted then crushed into tiny pieces
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 cup cold salted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
Additional icing sugar
To a food processor bowl, add the flour and icing sugar, mix well, while the machine is running, add half the butter until it is incorporated, then add the crushed pecans, then the rest of the butter, using short pulses, add the vanilla, run the processor until the mixture starts to clump together, dump it onto a piece of parchment paper, knead until smooth. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, set them onto the parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown, rotate the pans during baking for even baking. Remove from oven, let cool on racks for 5 minutes, then toss each cookie in icing sugar, repeating if necessary until well coated with the icing sugar. This recipe makes about 50.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Oven 325 degrees F
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup pecans, toasted then crushed into tiny pieces
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 cup cold salted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
Additional icing sugar
To a food processor bowl, add the flour and icing sugar, mix well, while the machine is running, add half the butter until it is incorporated, then add the crushed pecans, then the rest of the butter, using short pulses, add the vanilla, run the processor until the mixture starts to clump together, dump it onto a piece of parchment paper, knead until smooth. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, set them onto the parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown, rotate the pans during baking for even baking. Remove from oven, let cool on racks for 5 minutes, then toss each cookie in icing sugar, repeating if necessary until well coated with the icing sugar. This recipe makes about 50.
Cheesy Shortbread
This recipe is for adults, to have with a glass or two of your favourite wine. You can make them with your favourite cheese, but make sure the cheese you use is strong, like aged cheddar, blue cheese, or Oka.
Cheesy Shortbread
Oven 375 degrees F
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line sheet pans with parchment. With a stand mixer, whip 1 cup softened butter until it is fluffy, scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl then slow the mixer down, add the shredded cheese, mix well, then while the mixer is running on slow speed, add the flour and cayenne. Speed the mixer up scraping down the sides until all is incorporated, you may need to knead the mixture until it is smooth. Drop by teaspoons on parchment lined sheet pans,2 inches apart, bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. This recipe makes about 5 dozen small bite size cookies.
Note- you can also wrap the mixture in plastic wrap, refridgerate for about an hour then roll into 1 inch balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Cheesy Shortbread
Oven 375 degrees F
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line sheet pans with parchment. With a stand mixer, whip 1 cup softened butter until it is fluffy, scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl then slow the mixer down, add the shredded cheese, mix well, then while the mixer is running on slow speed, add the flour and cayenne. Speed the mixer up scraping down the sides until all is incorporated, you may need to knead the mixture until it is smooth. Drop by teaspoons on parchment lined sheet pans,2 inches apart, bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. This recipe makes about 5 dozen small bite size cookies.
Note- you can also wrap the mixture in plastic wrap, refridgerate for about an hour then roll into 1 inch balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Cookies for Santa
Every year I tell myself that this year I will not bake too much, but the spirit of Christmas always seems to interfere with those plans, so here we are a few days to go, I have made these recipes for cookies you can make in an afternoon, with or without the kids! Enjoy
Whipped Swet and Salty Shortbread
Oven 300 degrees F
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup icing sugar
1 pound salted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon good vanilla
Measure the dry ingredients,whip them together with a whisk, set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, prepare sheet pans by lining each with parchment, this recipe makes 9 dozen. With a stand mixer, whip the butter until it is light and fluffy, pausing now and then to scrape down the sides of bowl, about 3-4 minutes, then add the vanilla, whip for a minute. With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl, until all the flour mixture is incorporated, then speed the mixer up for a minute to whip the ingredients together. At this point, you can scrape the whole mixture onto a few pieces of plastic wrap, shaping it into a small cylinder, then refridgerate for about an hour, this makes it easy to slice the shortbread and prevents it from spreading too much. But, if you prefer,you can drop mixture from a teaspoon, immediately after mixing, onto the prepared pans. If you have tasted the shortbread dough, and wish to add a bit more salt, add a few coarse grains of salt on top of each cookie, bake the shortbread for about 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the bottom, rotate the baking pans periodically during the baking time for even browning.
Whipped Swet and Salty Shortbread
Oven 300 degrees F
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup icing sugar
1 pound salted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon good vanilla
Measure the dry ingredients,whip them together with a whisk, set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, prepare sheet pans by lining each with parchment, this recipe makes 9 dozen. With a stand mixer, whip the butter until it is light and fluffy, pausing now and then to scrape down the sides of bowl, about 3-4 minutes, then add the vanilla, whip for a minute. With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl, until all the flour mixture is incorporated, then speed the mixer up for a minute to whip the ingredients together. At this point, you can scrape the whole mixture onto a few pieces of plastic wrap, shaping it into a small cylinder, then refridgerate for about an hour, this makes it easy to slice the shortbread and prevents it from spreading too much. But, if you prefer,you can drop mixture from a teaspoon, immediately after mixing, onto the prepared pans. If you have tasted the shortbread dough, and wish to add a bit more salt, add a few coarse grains of salt on top of each cookie, bake the shortbread for about 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the bottom, rotate the baking pans periodically during the baking time for even browning.
Tuesday 15 December 2015
Quick Dinners, By Ingredient
Did the chicken come first....or the Egg?
Chicken and Vegetables
If you have left over chicken, and other left over meat, put it together with a previously made rice dish, or one of those noodle, rice packages for a quick dish. Thinking about that...if you didn't have enough of the meat, after pairing it with the rice, you could fold the rice mixture into a few eggs, scrambled to make Egg Foo Yong, paired with a bit of soy sauce, you will have a great meal...low cost, too.
Chicken
Ideas:
*chicken pot pies,(see recipe Dutch girl dinners) cover with left over mashed potatoes, puff pastry, or breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter;
*tortilla wraps, heat the tortillas in dry fry pan, butter with your favourite sauce(mayo, BBQ, mustard, guacamole)add the chicken, veggies, salad, cheese, wrap up, great dinner, everyone love;
*chicken stir fry, with frozen stir fry veggies, add left over rice, or one of those seasoned rice packages, quick and tasty;
*chicken and gravy poutine, use left over chicken, left over gravy, or gravy from package or can, frozen French fries, done extra well, with chunks of your favourite cheese, add a few frozen veggies for a real unique healthy poutine;
*quesedillas made with left over chicken and shredded cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole;
*casseroles made with any leftover chicken, vegetable, a can of cream soup mixed with 1/2 can milk and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce topped with cheese and a few breadcrumbs mixed together;
*Hot chicken sandwiches, use regular gravy or St Hubert's chicken sauce(like Swiss Chalet)
*Chicken burritos, made with Mexican rice, chicken, cheese, salsa, fresh veggies, guacamole, hot peppers, etc rolled into a large flour tortilla, baked for 10-12 minutes until tortilla is a little crunchy.
*Chicken salad, made with celery, onions, grapes, or olives,mayonaise, herbs, onto toasted French stick;
*Chicken and sautéed mushrooms and chees, on a toasted roll;
*chicken warmed, paired with a jar of masala sauce,or butter chicken sauce, served with rice and Naan bread
*chicken and sun dried tomatoes in creamy pasta sauce served over pasta.
Eggs
Ideas:
*omelets which can include anything, from herbs, leftover vegetables, ham, onion, salsa, cheese, leftover bacon;
*wrap your omelet into a hot tortilla, add some salsa, hot peppers, yum!;
*eggs Italian style, just sauté a bit of onion, add a can of Aurora tomatoes, add the eggs, let them slowly cook in the tomato sauce, add cheese, serve with crusty bread (see recipe Dutch Girl Dinners);
*Eggs Benedict, for a great dinner, very quick and easy, hollandaise sauce from package, poach eggs, use back bacon or ham and toasted English muffins;
*egg Foo Yong, any left over veggie, meat, a few bean sprouts or water chestnuts from a can and fresh mushrooms, makes a great meal;
*egg sandwiches, hot or cold, with fresh tomatoes, bacon, ham, hot toast, can have a bit of soup with that if desired;
*French toast with Carmel apples, bananas foster, fresh fruit, whipped cream or not....You could also use your banana bread instead of regular bread, French bread, brioche, any style;
*French style breakfast for dinner, ham, or bacon, eggs any style, baked beans, hot crusty bread
*eggs and veggie frittata, just mix a few eggs together with vegetables of your choice, heat pan, add egg mixture, pop into 350 degree F oven bake until set;
*to any cream soup, enrich with a couple of beaten eggs, temper eggs with a few spoonfuls of hot soup, add into soup a little at a time to prevent scrambling the egg, makes a satisfying soup.
Chicken and Vegetables
If you have left over chicken, and other left over meat, put it together with a previously made rice dish, or one of those noodle, rice packages for a quick dish. Thinking about that...if you didn't have enough of the meat, after pairing it with the rice, you could fold the rice mixture into a few eggs, scrambled to make Egg Foo Yong, paired with a bit of soy sauce, you will have a great meal...low cost, too.
Chicken
Ideas:
*chicken pot pies,(see recipe Dutch girl dinners) cover with left over mashed potatoes, puff pastry, or breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter;
*tortilla wraps, heat the tortillas in dry fry pan, butter with your favourite sauce(mayo, BBQ, mustard, guacamole)add the chicken, veggies, salad, cheese, wrap up, great dinner, everyone love;
*chicken stir fry, with frozen stir fry veggies, add left over rice, or one of those seasoned rice packages, quick and tasty;
*chicken and gravy poutine, use left over chicken, left over gravy, or gravy from package or can, frozen French fries, done extra well, with chunks of your favourite cheese, add a few frozen veggies for a real unique healthy poutine;
*quesedillas made with left over chicken and shredded cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole;
*casseroles made with any leftover chicken, vegetable, a can of cream soup mixed with 1/2 can milk and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce topped with cheese and a few breadcrumbs mixed together;
*Hot chicken sandwiches, use regular gravy or St Hubert's chicken sauce(like Swiss Chalet)
*Chicken burritos, made with Mexican rice, chicken, cheese, salsa, fresh veggies, guacamole, hot peppers, etc rolled into a large flour tortilla, baked for 10-12 minutes until tortilla is a little crunchy.
*Chicken salad, made with celery, onions, grapes, or olives,mayonaise, herbs, onto toasted French stick;
*Chicken and sautéed mushrooms and chees, on a toasted roll;
*chicken warmed, paired with a jar of masala sauce,or butter chicken sauce, served with rice and Naan bread
*chicken and sun dried tomatoes in creamy pasta sauce served over pasta.
Eggs
Ideas:
*omelets which can include anything, from herbs, leftover vegetables, ham, onion, salsa, cheese, leftover bacon;
*wrap your omelet into a hot tortilla, add some salsa, hot peppers, yum!;
*eggs Italian style, just sauté a bit of onion, add a can of Aurora tomatoes, add the eggs, let them slowly cook in the tomato sauce, add cheese, serve with crusty bread (see recipe Dutch Girl Dinners);
*Eggs Benedict, for a great dinner, very quick and easy, hollandaise sauce from package, poach eggs, use back bacon or ham and toasted English muffins;
*egg Foo Yong, any left over veggie, meat, a few bean sprouts or water chestnuts from a can and fresh mushrooms, makes a great meal;
*egg sandwiches, hot or cold, with fresh tomatoes, bacon, ham, hot toast, can have a bit of soup with that if desired;
*French toast with Carmel apples, bananas foster, fresh fruit, whipped cream or not....You could also use your banana bread instead of regular bread, French bread, brioche, any style;
*French style breakfast for dinner, ham, or bacon, eggs any style, baked beans, hot crusty bread
*eggs and veggie frittata, just mix a few eggs together with vegetables of your choice, heat pan, add egg mixture, pop into 350 degree F oven bake until set;
*to any cream soup, enrich with a couple of beaten eggs, temper eggs with a few spoonfuls of hot soup, add into soup a little at a time to prevent scrambling the egg, makes a satisfying soup.
Dutch Girl Quick Dinner Ideas-pantry list
Even if you love to cook, and make great meals, there are days that you are not interested in being the "Family Gourmet". Not even when you work full time would you have time to cook that way except at the weekends, I know that I certainly had no energy at the end of a busy workday especially after the long commute. So, in the next few posts I will give you several ideas for quick dinners, that are not only tasty, but healthy and takes no more than 20-30 minutes from start to finish.
Grocery List Pantry Items
No refridgeration necessary
Quick seasoned/flavoured noodle or rice packages(uncle Bens, Lipton, Knorr)
Any type tortilla chips
Canned Salmon
Canned Tuna
Canned crab
Canned thick soup, any flavour
Canned mushroom soup
Canned mushrooms
Jar artichoke hearts in oil
Jars of olives, different types
Canned hot peppers, Mexican type
Pasta
Macaroni and cheese dinner
Packaged or Canned gravy,
packaged hollandaise sauce
Packaged guacamole seasoning
Any type of canned beans, including pork and beans
Jar best pasta sauce
Plain tomato sauce (hunts)
Canned whole tomatoes
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Dried spices, including minced garlic, onion
Dried herbs
Pantry items
Refrigerator
Eggs
Side bacon
Back bacon
Sausages, any type
Frozen preformed hamburgers
Chicken thighs, breast
Thin pork chops, boneless
Flour tortillas
Crusty bread
Pizza dough, frozen
Canned Biscuit, Pilsberry
English muffins
Bagels
Bagged salad, any type
Prepared carrots, celery
One of the biggest time savers is to double any recipe, such as chili, stew, pasta sauce, soup, even vegetables, scalloped potatoes, any rice dish or plain rice (except boiled potatoes) can be successfully frozen and pulled out for dinner, along with a bagged salad, (rinsed and spun dry) or frozen vegetables.
Breakfasts and Lunch Ideas
I have made muffins/small loaves of corn bread, zucchini bread, banana bread, and date/nut loaf, for delicious but super fast breakfasts, or snacks, or accompanying any dinner. I have even been known to make a loaf or two of sandwiches, using cold cuts, minus the veggies and condiment, so lunch making is simplified, all that needs doing is at the same time you make the loaf of sandwiches, put together a few small snack sized ziplock bags with carrots, celery, lettuce, grape tomatoes, even olives, that can be put together with your frozen sandwich and a piece of fruit, for easy, fast lunch making.
The thing with frozen dinners that you have previously made, you have to remember to take it out of the freezer.....in the morning, or the night before, put it in fridge to defrost, then, just heat it up and eat, most soups, stews and pasta sauces are better after a day or so, anyway, so you will not lose any flavour. Also, slow cookers are great for throwing your frozen soup/stew into, just put it on low, if you have a timer, great, just put it on to start after lunch,so your dinner will have defrosted, then by the time you are home it will be hot, great invention. Although I really never cook in mine, just use it for keeping things hot at my buffet table. So in the next few posts, I will endeavor to give you ideas on how to make quick easy and nutritious meals without calling your favourite pizza place.
Grocery List Pantry Items
No refridgeration necessary
Quick seasoned/flavoured noodle or rice packages(uncle Bens, Lipton, Knorr)
Any type tortilla chips
Canned Salmon
Canned Tuna
Canned crab
Canned thick soup, any flavour
Canned mushroom soup
Canned mushrooms
Jar artichoke hearts in oil
Jars of olives, different types
Canned hot peppers, Mexican type
Pasta
Macaroni and cheese dinner
Packaged or Canned gravy,
packaged hollandaise sauce
Packaged guacamole seasoning
Any type of canned beans, including pork and beans
Jar best pasta sauce
Plain tomato sauce (hunts)
Canned whole tomatoes
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Dried spices, including minced garlic, onion
Dried herbs
Pantry items
Refrigerator
Eggs
Side bacon
Back bacon
Sausages, any type
Frozen preformed hamburgers
Chicken thighs, breast
Thin pork chops, boneless
Flour tortillas
Crusty bread
Pizza dough, frozen
Canned Biscuit, Pilsberry
English muffins
Bagels
Bagged salad, any type
Prepared carrots, celery
One of the biggest time savers is to double any recipe, such as chili, stew, pasta sauce, soup, even vegetables, scalloped potatoes, any rice dish or plain rice (except boiled potatoes) can be successfully frozen and pulled out for dinner, along with a bagged salad, (rinsed and spun dry) or frozen vegetables.
Breakfasts and Lunch Ideas
I have made muffins/small loaves of corn bread, zucchini bread, banana bread, and date/nut loaf, for delicious but super fast breakfasts, or snacks, or accompanying any dinner. I have even been known to make a loaf or two of sandwiches, using cold cuts, minus the veggies and condiment, so lunch making is simplified, all that needs doing is at the same time you make the loaf of sandwiches, put together a few small snack sized ziplock bags with carrots, celery, lettuce, grape tomatoes, even olives, that can be put together with your frozen sandwich and a piece of fruit, for easy, fast lunch making.
The thing with frozen dinners that you have previously made, you have to remember to take it out of the freezer.....in the morning, or the night before, put it in fridge to defrost, then, just heat it up and eat, most soups, stews and pasta sauces are better after a day or so, anyway, so you will not lose any flavour. Also, slow cookers are great for throwing your frozen soup/stew into, just put it on low, if you have a timer, great, just put it on to start after lunch,so your dinner will have defrosted, then by the time you are home it will be hot, great invention. Although I really never cook in mine, just use it for keeping things hot at my buffet table. So in the next few posts, I will endeavor to give you ideas on how to make quick easy and nutritious meals without calling your favourite pizza place.
Monday 14 December 2015
Spicy Spanish Rice with Chorizo
Everyone has their favourite Spanish rice recipe, this one is mine. If you don't want it too spicy leave out the hot chilies.
Spicy Spanish Rice with Chorizo
3 tablespoons corn oil
2 cups long grain rice
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red or green sweet pepper,chopped
2 small stalks celery chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
2-3 cups water
2-3 chorizo sausages, baked til almost cooked through,chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch red hot crushed chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 vegetable boullion cube
In a Dutch oven, heat oil, add onion, celery my sweet pepper, sauté for a few minutes, add rice and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until rice starts to brown a little bit, then add the tomatoes, and water, stir well, bring to boil, add the boullion cube, salt, pepper and spices, stir well, lower heat, simmer for 10 minutes, add the chopped Chorizo sausage, turn heat to low, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes, then turn heat off, put lid on until rice is tender. This is a great meal unto itself, or an accompaniment to chicken. You can also add cooked left over chicken to the rice dish.
Spicy Spanish Rice with Chorizo
3 tablespoons corn oil
2 cups long grain rice
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red or green sweet pepper,chopped
2 small stalks celery chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
2-3 cups water
2-3 chorizo sausages, baked til almost cooked through,chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch red hot crushed chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 vegetable boullion cube
In a Dutch oven, heat oil, add onion, celery my sweet pepper, sauté for a few minutes, add rice and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until rice starts to brown a little bit, then add the tomatoes, and water, stir well, bring to boil, add the boullion cube, salt, pepper and spices, stir well, lower heat, simmer for 10 minutes, add the chopped Chorizo sausage, turn heat to low, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes, then turn heat off, put lid on until rice is tender. This is a great meal unto itself, or an accompaniment to chicken. You can also add cooked left over chicken to the rice dish.
Wednesday 9 December 2015
Best Ever Banana Bread
Banana bread is very healthy and a great way to use up those last 3-4 bananas that have gone past the enticing stage. Oh did I say this recipe is fat free? Banana bread can be eaten for breakfast, snacks, as an accompaniment to stews or soups. Even my baby Shihtzu, Wookie loves the flavour, eventhough he doesn't eat the fruit! Mind you, he is always interested in trying whatever I am eating, (but he won't eat from anyone else's hand, even if it's the same thing!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Best Ever Banana Bread
3-4 medium bananas, peel removed
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2-3/4 cup walnuts
Prepare loaf pan, grease and flour or line with parchment paper. In food processor, or stand mixer, add bananas, process or mix until almost liquified, add the 2 eggs, mix well. Measure all dry ingredients,mix well together, except walnuts, add dry ingredient mixture to banana mixture, mix well, then add the walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan, or small loaf pan size. Bake at 350 degree F until toothpick comes out clean! about an hour for large loaf sized pan, or 35-40 minutes for small loaf size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Best Ever Banana Bread
3-4 medium bananas, peel removed
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2-3/4 cup walnuts
Prepare loaf pan, grease and flour or line with parchment paper. In food processor, or stand mixer, add bananas, process or mix until almost liquified, add the 2 eggs, mix well. Measure all dry ingredients,mix well together, except walnuts, add dry ingredient mixture to banana mixture, mix well, then add the walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan, or small loaf pan size. Bake at 350 degree F until toothpick comes out clean! about an hour for large loaf sized pan, or 35-40 minutes for small loaf size.
Saturday 5 December 2015
Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie
I like roasted chicken for this recipe, whether you roast it yourself, or buy it from the store, it will be just as good. I also roast vegetables along with the chicken, any assortment will do, I use mushrooms, onions, carrots and a couple of small sweet peppers. No need to cut them into small pieces, just cut them into equal sizes so that they are more or less ready at the same time. Mushrooms take less time, so you will want to take them out earlier.
1 3-4 pound roasted chicken, skin removed, chicken cut into chunks, 3 cups, set aside
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
1-2 yellow onions, quartered
2-3 small sweet peppers, left whole, but deseeded
1/2 pound white mushrooms
2-3 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper
Clean and prepare all the vegetables,using a sheet pan covered with parchment, lay the vegetables out,coat lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, removing the mushrooms, when they are nicely browned, and the onions when they are translucent, cut into smaller sized pieces, set aside.
Sauce
1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Add 3 cups of the chicken and roasted vegetables to your sauce, add 1/2 cup frozen peas, if desired, pour into casserole dish, large enough to accommodate this mixture and the whipped potatoes, or use individual casserole dishes.
Topping
4-5 large potatoes, peeled if desired
1/2 cup milk
3-4 tablespoons butter
Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, mash add the milk and butter, add salt if necessary, whip with balloon whisk, don't make the potatoes too soft, they are the top crust of your pot pie, smooth the whipped potatoes on top of the chicken and vegetable mixture, sprinkle with a little coarse salt, dot with a bit of butter, bake at 350 degrees F until potatoes are lightly browned and casserole is bubbling.
If you are in a hurry,either use defrosted puff pastry to top the casserole,wet the edge of the casserole, cover with the puff pastry to fit, cut a steam hole, baste pastry with a little half and half, bake it at 400 degrees F until pastry is browned and puffed OR mix 3-4 tablespoons melted butter with 2 cups fine bread crumbs, seasoned or plain,cover the chicken vegetable mixture, bake at 350 degrees F until crumb topping is golden brown and casserole is bubbling.
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
1-2 yellow onions, quartered
2-3 small sweet peppers, left whole, but deseeded
1/2 pound white mushrooms
2-3 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper
Clean and prepare all the vegetables,using a sheet pan covered with parchment, lay the vegetables out,coat lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, removing the mushrooms, when they are nicely browned, and the onions when they are translucent, cut into smaller sized pieces, set aside.
Sauce
1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Add 3 cups of the chicken and roasted vegetables to your sauce, add 1/2 cup frozen peas, if desired, pour into casserole dish, large enough to accommodate this mixture and the whipped potatoes, or use individual casserole dishes.
Topping
4-5 large potatoes, peeled if desired
1/2 cup milk
3-4 tablespoons butter
Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, mash add the milk and butter, add salt if necessary, whip with balloon whisk, don't make the potatoes too soft, they are the top crust of your pot pie, smooth the whipped potatoes on top of the chicken and vegetable mixture, sprinkle with a little coarse salt, dot with a bit of butter, bake at 350 degrees F until potatoes are lightly browned and casserole is bubbling.
If you are in a hurry,either use defrosted puff pastry to top the casserole,wet the edge of the casserole, cover with the puff pastry to fit, cut a steam hole, baste pastry with a little half and half, bake it at 400 degrees F until pastry is browned and puffed OR mix 3-4 tablespoons melted butter with 2 cups fine bread crumbs, seasoned or plain,cover the chicken vegetable mixture, bake at 350 degrees F until crumb topping is golden brown and casserole is bubbling.
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