A One-dish Wonder

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,
Sausage, zucchini, and feta casserole.

Sausage, zucchini, and feta casserole.

We had this dish for dinner on a recent evening and once again I am in awe of how such simple ingredients can meld together and produce such an outstanding meal.  It is a pasta casserole that combines pantry items with fresh vegetables for a hearty, family-friendly meal.  Any leftovers are even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld.

The edges of the pasta get brown and crispy with cheese. Yum!

The edges of the pasta get brown and crispy with cheese. 

The recipe as I originally found it calls for 5 cups of thinly sliced zucchini as the main vegetable, but whenever I see an amount like that for one item I immediately think of it as 5 cups of ANY vegetable or mixture of vegetables.  Given that I had only 1/2 a zucchini on hand, I knew I would need to add other vegetables to make close to the quantity the recipe specified. So I added 6 stalks of asparagus, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces and a medium carrot thinly sliced, plus the onions called for.  These, the pasta,  and 1/2 pound of sweet Italian sausage were the main ingredients that I used to make this casserole.

The recipe makes about 6 servings, so for two of us, there was enough for another meal, and it reheat easily in the oven covered with foil so it remained moist.  My husband commented twice on how good it was and how much he enjoyed it.  With that kind of reception I can’t wait to make it again.

ZUCCHINI, SAUSAGE, AND FETA CASSEROLE

Yield:   6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2  1/2 cups uncooked ziti  (short tube-shaped pasta)
  • 8 ounces chicken sausage
  • cooking spray
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 5 cups thinly sliced zucchini ( about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 2 cups vertically sliced onion–about 1 large one
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp. all purpose flour
  • 1/2  cup ( 2 ounces )crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup ( 2 ounces ) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400*F

2.  Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat;  drain

3.  Remove casings from sausage.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble.  Remove from pan.

4.  Heat oil in pan.  Add zucchini, ( and any other vegetables you may be using), onion, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally,

Sauteing all the vegetables together.

Sauteing all the vegetables together.

5.  Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute.  Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl  ( or pan pasta was cooked in );  toss well.  Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7 – inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.

Mix pasta with vegetables and sausage in a baking dish.

Mix pasta with vegetables and sausage in a baking dish.

6.  Bake at 400*F for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Serve with a salad for a complete meal.

Serve with a salad for a complete meal.

SOURCE:   Cooking Light

Strawberry and Apricot Crisp

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Strawberry and apricot crisp.

Strawberry and apricot crisp.

I can’t seem to get my fill of strawberries this year, so here’s another dessert I made recently that combines fresh apricots with strawberries.  Fresh apricots are available pretty much thoughout the month of May, so combining them with strawberries is a natural.  I don’t know why I’ve never thought of that before, but I’m glad this recipe brought it to my attention.  The results are crazy good especially when you add on a crumble topping that includes pine nuts.

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In this crisp the apricots hold their shape while the strawberries become sauce-like.  Bake it in a 9 or 10-inch baking dish or pie plate for the right ratio of fruit filling to crumble topping.  Served with a scoop of strawberry ice cream takes it over the top.   Just sayin….

STRAWBERRY AND APRICOT CRISP

Yield:    6 servings

Crumble ingredients:

Make the crumb topping from these ingredients.

Make the crumb topping from these ingredients.

  • 1/2 stick  ( 4 Tbpn )cold unsalted butter cut into small  pieces, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 2 ounces pine nuts, toasted  ( 1/3 cup )

Filling ingredients:

  • 4 apricots, pitted and cut into sixths (about 2 cups)
  • 12 ounces strawberries, ( about 15) hulled and halved, or quartered if large (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • pinch salt

1.  Combine all crumble ingredients in a medium bowl and massage together with your fingers until butter is incorporated and mixture forms small clumps.  Refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Slice up strawberries and apricots, add sweetener.

Slice up strawberries and apricots, add sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch .

2.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Butter a 9-inch round shallow baking dish or pie plate.  Combine all filling ingredients in another medium bowl.  Transfer to baking dish and top with crumble.

Pour into baking dish.

Pour into baking dish.

Cover with crumb topping.

Cover with crumb topping.

Bake until bubbling in center and crumble is browned, about 40 minutes.  Let cool at least 20 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or frozen yogurt if desired.

Out of the oven and the aroma fills the house.

Out of the oven and smelling soooo good!

Serve with a little ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Serve with a little ice cream or frozen yogurt.

SOURCE:  Martha Stewart Living

Olive and Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers and tagged with , , , , ,
Goat cheese stuffed cherry tomatoes.

Olive and goat cheese stuffed cherry tomatoes.

These little stuffed tomatoes were a real hit at our weekend cookout.  They’re cute to look at, and make a great pop-in-your-mouth appetizer.  Scooping out the insides of cherry tomatoes can be a little tricky, and time consuming, but well worth the effort.  The best tool for the job – I think – is a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon.  If using the small tomatoes is too labor intensive, then try using grape tomatoes or the Campari variety for an appetizer that is 2-3 bites in size.

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These tomatoes provide bright spots of color on a tray of appetizers, or also included on a cold salad plate.  For the diet conscious, its reassuring to know that each tomato is only 14 calories, with 1 g. fat, and  1 g. carbohydrate, but  43 mg. potassium, ( a good thing) and 21 mg. sodium, ( not great, but not too bad).  So these can be enjoyed pretty much guilt-free.  I hope you like them and will give them a try real soon.

OLIVE AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

Yield:  Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:

Hollow out small tomatoes, fill with a goat cheese and olive mixture.

Hollow out small tomatoes, fill with a goat cheese and olive mixture.

  • 24  cherry tomatoes,  about 1 pint.
  • 3 ounces goat cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped olives.  I used Calamata olives, but green olives may also be used.
  • 1 Tablespoon low-fat milk
  • 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped parsley

1.  Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of each tomato.  If necessary, trim a sliver off the bottom so the tomato sits flat.  Gently scoop out the seeds with a small spoon or the tip of a small knife.

2.  Mash the goat cheese, olives, milk and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.  Fill each hollowed tomato with a generous 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with some of the chopped parsley and more pepper, if desired.

Bright and appetizing!

Bright and appetizing!

SOURCE:  Eating Well

Spring Tonic Quiche

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Brunch, Main Dish, Pies, Pastry and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Spring Tonic Quiche

Spring Tonic Quiche

This may seem like an odd name for a recipe, but it comes from Barbara Kingsolver’s excellent book, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral:  A Year of Food Life.  In it she describes a winter of  relying on root vegetables and home-grown  canned goods, so the first green shoots to emerge from the earth in the spring were pounced upon by her family.  The minerals contained in these new shoots were believed to provide renewed vigor and energy for bodies tired of being cooped up all winter.

This recipe uses fresh young asparagus but if you’re in an area where fiddleheads** are available they would be a wonderful replacement for the asparagus.  The quantity of the recipe is designed to fit into a 9″ or 10″ pie pan.  If you’re using a shallower quiche pan  use 3 eggs and cut back the buttermilk to 3/4 cup.

The buttermilk called for in this recipe gives the custard a “tang” that is typical of buttermilk.  If you prefer a more traditional flavored  filling you may use regular milk instead with equally good results.  This quiche cuts and hold its shape vey well especially it you let it rest for about 15 minutes before serving as the recipe suggests.

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SPRING TONIC  (ASPARAGUS ) QUICHE

Asparagus, chives, cheese, buttermilk, eggs and Worcestershire sauce make the filling.

Asparagus, chives, cheese, buttermilk, eggs and Worcestershire sauce make the filling.

Yield:   8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 1 single recipe pie dough, or use 1/2 package refrigerator pie dough
  • 2  1/2 cup asparagus spears or fiddleheads, bias sliced into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
  • 1  1/2 cup grated cheese ( your choice, but Swiss, Parmesan and/or Asiago are good)
  • 3 to 4 four large eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1.  Preheat the oven to 425*F.  Line a 9 or 10-inch pie pan  or 10-inch quiche pan with the pastry.  Chill the lined dish while the oven comes up to temperature.  This will minimize shrinking while it bakes.

2.  Bake the chilled crust for 10 minutes;  remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375*.

3.  For the Filling:  Spread the sliced asparagus over the crust.  Place the tips around the outside edge for a nice effect.  Sprinkle the chives and cheese on top.

Layer asparagus, chives and cheese in the crust.

Layer asparagus, chives and cheese in the crust.

Whisk together the eggs, flour, buttermilk, and Worcestershire and pour over the vegetables and cheese.

Egg mixture poured over the vegetables.

Egg mixture poured over the vegetables.

I used the asparagus tips to decorate the top.

I used the asparagus tips to decorate the top.

4.  Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until the custard is firm 3″ in from the edge and a knife inserted in that spot comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Out of the oven and cooling.

Out of the oven and cooling.

This makes a nice light meal served with a salad.

This makes a nice light meal served with a salad.

**A note about fiddleheads:  These are the tops of ostrich ferns, and they appear in shady woodland spots in early May.  They look like green, fuzzy bumps;  below the brown stalks of last year’s growth.

English: Photo of fiddleheads emerging in the ...

English: Photo of fiddleheads emerging in the spring (taken in Rindge, New Hampshire). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They emerge tightly curled and covered in a brown, scaly papery covering.  They can easily be snapped off when they are no more than 3 or 4 inches high.  To clean them, wash well and remove the papery covering.  Cook in boiling salted water until you can just pierce them with a fork.  Drain and rinse and treat them as you would asparagus.

SOURCE:   The Baking Sheet, King Arthur Flour.

Banana Bread Waffles

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch and tagged with , , , , ,
Banana Bread Waffles

Banana Bread Waffles

Banana Bread.  Waffles.  Think about those words, say them slowly out loud so you get the full impact.  Banana Bread Waffles!

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I know, they sound impossibly good don’t they?  Well,  just to let you know,  they are!  As usual when bananas are involved it all starts with a few over-ripe ones.  There they were lying sadly, neglected, past their prime.  What would YOU do with them?  Make banana bread most likely, and so would I.  Nothing too original there.  But I wasn’t in a baking mood, so all day I looked at them and felt guilty.  By evening I made up my mind that something must be done with them.  And since the next meal we would be eating would be breakfast and the next day was Saturday, waffles came to mind.

Waffles for breakfast. What a treat!

Waffles for breakfast. What a treat!

Let me say at the start that they are not all that sweet.  I used a basic waffle recipe, added mashed banana, some sour cream and the typical spices used in banana bread.  The resulting waffle was crisp on the outside, with a thick and soft interior, a lot like the end piece from a loaf of banana bread.  I left the sweetness to be managed by the maple syrup added at the table.  For your further information, the leftover waffles were just great toasted and spread with a little peanut butter, a riff on the favorite Elvis Prestley sandwich!

BANANA BREAD WAFFLES

Yield:   about 6 round waffles

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

    Typical ingredients for banana bread.

    Typical ingredients for banana bread.

  • 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ginger
  •  pinch cloves
  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, or greek yogurt
  • 1 cup mashed banana ( about 3 medium )

1.  In a large bowl (A batter bowl works well because you can pour from it directly onto the waffle iron.), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, the spices and salt.  Whisk to combine well.

2.  In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, milk, sour cream and banana.  Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine, but do not over mix.

3.  Heat your waffle iron and bake the waffles as per the manufacturer’s directions until golden brown and crisp.

Bake in a heated waffle iron till brown and crispy.

Bake in a heated waffle iron till brown and crispy.

Serve with butter and syrup.

Add some butter and syrup at the table for a little added sweetness.

Add some butter and syrup at the table for a little added sweetness.

SOURCE:   Inspiration came from a variety of sources with the basic waffle recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.

Cappuccino Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers, Cakes and tagged with , , , , , ,
Cappuccino Bars

Cappuccino Bars

If they look like cake and taste like cake, they must be cake, right?   Well, not necessarily!   The recipe calls them “bars”, so I will, too.  Although I must admit I expected them to be more chewy, like brownies.  Once I got past the unexpected texture of these cake/bars I really loved the flavor.  It was the promise of chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon all blended together that drew me to making them in the first place.

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The word cappuccino comes from the Italian “capuchin”, a monk who wore dark brown robes; since the color of coffee frothed with chocolate and cinnamon resembles the color of the monk’s robe, the drink became known as cappuccino.

Beside the flavor combination of this recipe, I liked the idea of using a cake mix as the basis for the recipe.  I see nothing wrong with using a good quality cake mix to get a jump start on a recipe if the end result is especially note-worthy.  I think this recipe meets that criteria.  I also liked baking them in a 13 x 9 ” pan,  –and I have one with a cover–so I could carry them easily to a picnic where everyone thought they were delicious.  Not exactly patriotic in color, I decorated the tops with “stars and stripes” sprinkles and a little flag to dress them up for the Memorial Day holiday.

CAPPUCCINO BARS

Yield:   about 28 bars,  more if you cut them smaller.IMG_4147

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup  (1 stick) butter, melted or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup each packed brown sugar and water
  • 1 Tablespoon each ground cinnamon and vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 package (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix. ( I used Devil’s Food)

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease and flour a 13 x 9 – inch baking pan.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except the cake mix.  Mis well to combine.  Stir in cake mix. and beat to incorporate well..  Batter will be thick.

3.  Spread into prepared pan and bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

4.  Frost or decorate the top as desired.  A drizzle of melted white or dark chocolate is nice, or frost lightly with frosting of your choice.  My version is frosted with butter cream and decorated with sprinkles.

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These are not heavy, chewy bars, but instead are light and airy with a complex flavor that will have people asking, “what is that flavor?”

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SOURCE:   Baking at Home;  Bars, Cakes and Cookies

Shrimp Taco Dip

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers and tagged with , , , , , ,

If you’re getting the idea that I made a lot of appetizers recently, you’d be right.  The holiday weekend brought with it invitations to two cookouts and when that happens I like to volunteer the same kinds of dishes to both events.  So it was appetizers and desserts that I brought to each cookout.

Shrimp Taco Dip with Tortilla Chips.

Shrimp Taco Dip with Tortilla Chips.

This particular appetizer was one that I found in a new cookbook that I got when I was on vacation last fall.  It fuses the flavors of a shrimp cocktail with a taco dip.  I must say that it turned out to be very popular and it disappeared quite quickly. I find that when I bring a dish to a gathering, I either forget to take a picture of it, or when I do remember it has already been half eaten, which is the case here.  So please forgive the lack of a decent photograph of this yummy dip that I served with reduced-fat baked tortilla chips. All the ingredients in the dip are on the low end of the calorie/fat scale so that I could enjoy  having some  along with everyone else.

Over half gone by the time I got to take this picture!

Over half gone by the time I got to take this picture!

I would also like to tell you about this cookbook that I found in a little gift shop when I was in North Carolina last fall.  It is one of a series whose titles all begin with the words, “Any Bitch can —”  with Bitch being an anachronym for Babe in Total Control of Herself  My book is called “Any Bitch can lose it”.  That is meant in a good way!

SHRIMP TACO DIP

Yield:   about 2 cups

Just a few ingredients go into this delicious dip.

Just a few ingredients go into this delicious dip.

Ingredients:

  • 8 – oz. less-fat cream cheese
  • 2 T. skim milk
  • 1/2 cup chili sauce
  • 2 T. Taco seasoning
  • 1  (4 – oz.) can tiny shrimp, drained, rinsed
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
  • 1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

1.  Mix the cream cheese and milk in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Stir in the chili sauce and taco seasoning, and combine well.

2.  Add in the shrimp, scallions, green pepper and cheese.  Stir to incorporate evenly.  Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

3.  Spoon into a serving bowl and surround with reduced-fat tortilla chips.

Shrimp Taco Dip with Tortilla Chips.

Shrimp Taco Dip with Tortilla Chips.

SOURCE:   Any Bitch can Lose it.

Horseradish and Caramelized Onion Pork Sandwiches

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Sandwichs and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Horseradish and caramelized onion pork sandwich.

Horseradish and caramelized onion pork sandwich.

As a spin-off from my recipe for Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, I used the remainder of the meat to make these hearty sandwiches.  They worked into my menus for the week on an evening when Mr.  D. was working late and I needed to go out before he got home.  I was able to make his sandwich and mine leaving his covered in the refrigerator for his convenience when he got home.  His comment when I saw him later in the evening was that  “it was an outstanding sandwich”.  I had to agree with him.

Sweet onions ( I used a large Vidalia) are slowly caramelized with some complimentary seasonings and then paired with a spicy-hot creamy sauce in this fancy sandwich. The recipe calls for using a small French bread split lengthwise, but I used a small focaccia loaf.  Its heartiness and rustic texture seemed to suit the sandwich better, but the choice is yours as to what kind of bread you make it on,

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HORSERADISH AND CARAMELIZED ONION PORK SANDWICHES

Yield:   4 servings,  1-quarter of a loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon. olive oil

    These seasonings really compliment the onions.

    These seasonings really compliment the onions.

  • 4 cups vertically sliced onion  (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • 1  1/2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon red  wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tesp. dried
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minces
  • 2 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1  ( 8-oz. ) loaf French bread, halved lengthwise
  • 1 cup torn lettuce leaves
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 1  1/2 cup thinly sliced Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin (about 8 oz.), or any other sliced roast pork
Cooked roast pork, thinly sliced for a sandwich.

Cooked roast pork, thinly sliced for a sandwich.

1.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 30 minutes or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, let cool.

The small of these onions slowly cooking is fantastic.

The small of these onions slowly cooking is fantastic.

2.  Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and horseradish; spread a layer evenly over cut side of bottom half of bread.  Arrange lettuce over the top, then onions.

Lettuce is the first layer, followed by the onions.

Lettuce is the first layer, followed by the onions.

Arrange the sliced pork over the onions,

Sliced pork goes on next, to be topped by sliced tomatoes.

Sliced pork goes on next, to be topped by sliced tomatoes.

top with sliced tomatoes, and spoon on remainder of sauce.  Cover with top half of bread.

A handful of sandwich. So good!

A handful of sandwich. So good!

SOURCE:  COOKING LIGHT

Bacon Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers and tagged with , , , , , ,

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When I think of picnics and cookouts I think of deviled eggs.  The dad of my husband’s family loves deviled eggs and we always have them at every gathering; usually made the traditional way with mayonnaise, mustard, a little sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika on top.  This is the way it’s always been and we just don’t mess with a good thing.

Bacon guacamole deviled eggs, awesome!

Bacon guacamole deviled eggs, awesome!

Along comes yours truly who’s always tampering with recipes and I saw this idea for mixing guacamole with the deviled egg filling; and since bacon also goes with eggs why not add some of that too?  Two great foods that we love can only get better when combined, right?  No matter how you look at it these had to be a match made in heaven.  Well, turns out I was right on that score.  Just about everyone at our cookout loved my new-fangled deviled eggs—except the dad.  I made a few the way he likes them just for him!

If you like deviled eggs and you also like guacamole, then I think you’re going to like these eggs very much!  Make a lot, they will disappear quickly.

BACON GUACAMOLE DEVILED EGGS

Servings:    6     Increase ingredients accordingly for larger amounts.

Ingredients;

  • 6 eggs, boiled, peeled and cut in half
    Hard-cook the eggs, remove yolks and mix with other ingredients.

    Hard-cook the eggs, remove yolks and mix with other ingredients.

  • 1 large ripe avocado, mashed
  • 2 Tbsp. bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 Tbsp. jalapeño, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. diced tomato
  • 1 Tbsp. red  onion, finely diced
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice ( ~ 1/2 lime)
  • 1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • salt, and pepper and cayenne to taste
  • pinch chili powder for garnish

1.  Scoop the yolks out of the eggs and mash in a bowl with the avocado.  Add the bacon, jalapeño, onion, tomato, lime juice and cilantro.  Season with salt,  pepper and cayenne.

2.  Place a tablespoon of the mixture back into the holes left by the egg yolks and serve garnished with a pinch of chili powder.

Green eggs but no ham!

Green eggs but no ham!

SOURCE:  Adapted from a recipe on ZIP LIST

Hoisin Barbecued Chicken and Broccoli

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Hoisin BBQ Chicken and Broccoli with Rice Pilaf.

Hoisin BBQ Chicken and Broccoli with Rice Pilaf.

This holiday weekend is pretty well accepted as the start of the summer cook-out season, and we are no exception.  On Saturday we cooked out at home, and on Sunday we attended a family cookout.  After the parade today there will be another cookout.  Of course I always bring along a variety of goodies to these events.  This week I’ll be telling you about my contributions, but to start the week off I’d like to share with you this recipe for Hoisin Barbecued Chicken and Broccoli.

The flavors in this dish will remind you of Chinese takeout, but my goodness, so much better!.  But you’ll have to make it to believe it.  The Hoisin Barbecue Marinade is addictive, it will have you licking your fingers.  You may want to double it to serve as a dipping sauce on the side or to drizzle over some rice.  I’m sure it would also be delicious with grilled pork or shrimp.  The chicken cooks quickly because you pound boneless chicken breasts out to about 1/2-inch thickness.  In my version I used skinless, boneless thighs and just pounded them a little for uniform thickness.

HOISIN BARBECUED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

Yield:   Makes about 1 1/2 cup marinade,   serves 4

Boneless thighs, broccoli and all the seasonings for the marinade.

Boneless thighs, broccoli and all the seasonings for the marinade.

Ingredients for marinade:

  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (any kind you like)
  • 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4  cups broccoli florets
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1.  In a small bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients and whisk to blend.

2.  Place the broccoli florets in a zip-top plastic bag and add 1/2 cup of the marinade.  Seal the bag, toss to coat, and set aside to marinate.  Place the chicken in another zip-top bag and pour in remaining marinade.  Seal the bag, toss to coat, and marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

3.  Prepare a hot fire in your grill.  Spray a grill wok or other grill pan with cooking spray.

4.  Place the wok in the kitchen sink.  Pour the broccoli and sauce into the grill wok and let drain.  (You can reuse the marinade from the broccoli, if desired.)  Place the grill wok on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the baking sheet beside the wok.  Discard the chicken marinade.  Take the baking sheet out to the grill.

Broccoli goes on first to get a head-start on cooking.

Broccoli goes on first to get a head-start on cooking.

5.  Place the wok on the grill and close the lid for about 2 minutes.  Open the grill and toss the broccoli with wooden paddles or tongs  several times while grilling, for a total of 12 – 15 minutes.   Place the chicken on the grill and cook for  2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side.

Chicken pieces browning up nicely.

Chicken pieces browning up nicely.

This is Mr.D. doing his "grill" thing.

This is Mr.D. doing his “grill” thing.

When everything is done, place the food on the baking sheet and bring into the kitchen to serve.

6.  Place broccoli in a bowl, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and toss.  Arrange the chicken on a platter around the broccoli.  This meal is nice with a serving of lemon rice, or other kind of rice pilaf.

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SOURCE:  Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens