Tag Archives: recipe

Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts, Dressings, Sauces and tagged with , , , ,
Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce

Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce

Bread pudding!  An old-fashioned dessert that many of us grew up with.  A way to use up bread going stale.  Break or cut the bread up, pour a warm custardy mixture over it and bake till brown and fragrant.  Served warm with a little cream poured over it,  it became comfort food in a bowl.

So why haven’t I made it in such a long time?  Maybe because other more flashy desserts got my attention. What ever the reason I was reminded of bread pudding just recently when I was looking through a magazine in a waiting room  (dentist appointment, Ugh).   Coincidentally I had a large French baguette that I wanted to use.  The light bulb went on and when I got home, I started in making this version of  bread pudding.  When my mother made bread pudding she often made a lemon sauce to pour over it,  but I decided to make a sauce using some of the Irish Cream that I wrote about here.  To make the sauce compatible with the pudding, I used some sliced almonds in the pudding along with some raisins, since there is almond flavoring in the Irish Cream.  A match made in heaven,  thank-you very much!

Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

Please note in the photos you see here, I made half the recipe by cutting all ingredients in half, except I used 3 eggs; and I baked mine in an 8-inch round cake pan, overlapping the top slices of bread for a “shingled” effect.

BREAD PUDDING WITH IRISH CREAM SAUCE 

SERVINGS:    9

For the Pudding

  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2  2/3 cups  2% milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 long French baguette,  dark crusts removed, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 Tablespoons raw sugar (demerera sugar)
  • cooking spray

For the Sauce:

  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup  2% milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Irish Cream Liqueur

1.  To prepare the pudding:  Combine 2/3 cup sugar and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Heat   2 2/3 cups milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around edge–do not boil!

2.  Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Return milk mixture to pan;  cook over low heat 6 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon.   Remove from heat.

3.  Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.  Cover bottom of pan with bread slices, fitting them close together.

Fit bread slices snugly for a bottom layer.

Fit bread slices snugly for a bottom layer.

Sprinkle on half the raisins and half the sliced almonds.  Repeat the layers again:  as much bread as you can fit, raisins, and almonds.

Add almonds and raisins.

Add almonds and raisins.

4.  Pour milk mixture over the bread and allow the bread to absorb some of the milk.  Wait about an hour before baking.  Before baking sprinkle top of pudding with the 2 Tablespoons raw sugar.

repeat layers and pour egg-milk mixture over the top.

repeat layers and pour egg-milk mixture over the top.

5.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Place baking dish in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan;  add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.***  Bake, covered, at 350* for 20 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking an additional 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Bread Pudding, warm and custardy.

Bread Pudding, warm and custardy.

***Cooking the pudding in a water bath ensures creamy results.

6.  To prepare the sauce:  Combine 2 Tablespoons sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl,  stirring with a whisk.  Heat 1/2 cup milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges—do not boil.

7.  Gradually  add hot milk to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Place milk mixture in pan; cook over low heat 6 minutes or until mixture coats back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the liqueur.   Allow sauce to cool to room temperature.  This may be hastened by placing the pan in an ice-filled bowl and stirring constantly.

8.  To serve, cut pudding into  9 squares, and serve with sauce over warm pudding.

Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce

Bread Pudding with Irish Cream Sauce

SOURCE:  Cooking Light Annual, 2007

Spicy White Bean Dip

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Spicy white bean dip with crudités.

Spicy white bean dip with crudités.

Most times when you hear the word “dip” you think, appetizer. Well, so do I, mostly. However I also think of a dip as lunch or on its way to becoming lunch. What I mean is that when you combine a really interesting, tasty dip with raw veggies and some whole-grain crackers, or pitas that becomes lunch; at least for me it does.

Another way to enjoy this dip is to use it to appease your appetite, when you’re starving. Like you just came home from work, ravenous , you could eat shoe leather, but instead here you have a nutritious fill-in to snack on while you make dinner. I know you are going to like this, because I do, and I didn’t think I would. I was so wrong!!!! Give it a try, it might just become you’re new favorite food.

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SPICY WHITE BEAN DIP

YIELD: makes about 2 cups

  • 2 cans canneloni beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce ( reduced sodium, if possible)
  • 1/4 cup Sirracha Sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • up to 1/4 cup water, as needed
  • cilantro for garnish

In the work bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients through lime juice. Process to blend well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add water, a little at a time, to achieve a smooth consistency. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Serve with raw vegetables, crackers, pita chips, etc.

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This is sooooo good that once I started on it I did not want to stop. Luckily I was eating it with raw veggies, so I at least got in a fair share of my allotted requirement of vegetables for the day, a la the food pyramid.

Spicy, but not too spicy--just right!

Spicy, but not too spicy–just right!

SOURCE: Annieseats.com

Knock-off Bailey

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Beverages and tagged with , , , ,
Homemade Irish Cream

Homemade Irish Cream

What better way to start the first week of March than with a recipe for Irish Cream Liqueur.  I for one love Bailey’s Irish Cream in my coffee.  This is not an indulgence I have often because of the added calories.   The recipe for the original B.I.C. is closely guarded but I love the fact that people try to duplicate some of these products and come pretty close to the originals.  That gives us at home the opportunity to try them out, maybe tinker with the recipe a little and even improve upon it, or match it to our own taste buds.  This being the month for all things Irish, I decided to try making my own Bailey’s.

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If you have never had Bailey’s, it is a creamy, mocha-kissed, drink that can be enjoyed poured over ice, or added to coffee.  It is seriously delicious.  One sip will leave you wanting more, and before you know it, a bottle full will be gone.  So it pays to know how to make your own.  It is very easy to make– takes about 30 minutes–from readily available ingredients. It contains none of the artificial flavorings or coloring agents or preservatives used in commercially prepared Irish creams. Serve or give this to someone you know and make them very happy.  Irish eyes will be smiling when they’re drinking this!

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Some recipes call for mixing all the ingredients in a blender, but made that way it doesn’t stay thick very long. This recipe, on the other hand, takes a  slower approach, warming it over low heat.  As the cream heats up the mixture thickens and seems to remain that way a longer time.  Also it is important to use a good quality Irish whisky.  It’s flavor comes through in the finished drink.  Using an inexpensive whisky, will not give you the same flavor.   Please be aware of the alcohol content in this drink.  If it is too strong for your taste, feel free to decrease the amount of alcohol called for.

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

YIELD:   Makes about 6 cupsIMG_3200

  • 1 cup strong coffee
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon dark cocoa
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1  14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 cups Irish whiskey

1.  Bring the coffee to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan.

2.  Add the cream, cocoa, sugar, honey and extracts, and whisk thoroughly.

3.  Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken.

Bring ingredients to a simmer.

Bring ingredients to a simmer.

4.  Remove the saucepan from the heat;  whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.

5.  Transfer the mixture to a heat-safe bowl, and set aside to cool for a while.

6.  Whisk in the whiskey until completely blended.

7.  Store in the refrigerator in a lidded container or decorative bottle.  Serve over ice.

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Reminder:  This beverage has no preservatives and isn’t shelf stable.  It must be kept refrigerated.  Remind any recipient of that, if it lasts that long.  🙂

SOURCE:  designsponge.com

When Life Hands You Lemons

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Kitchen Basics and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Citrusy, smooth lemon curd.

Citrusy, smooth lemon curd.

When life hands you lemons, don’t just make lemonade, make lemon curd!….  Fresh lemons are a must in this recipe and they give it unbeatable flavor. When lemons are so plentiful in the marketplace, this is the time of year to make it.   For a lime-curd variation, substitute lime rind and juice.

Curd is a common tea-time treat, usually slathered on toast or scones.  It is so versatile.  British cooks also use it as a filling in trifles, tarts and cakes.   Lemon meringue pie is, essentially, lemon curd wearing a crown of meringue.

Traditionally curds are made with egg yolks and plenty of butter.  This recipe uses whole eggs and cornstarch, then you stir in a couple of tablespoons of butter at the end to achieve the velvety texture expected from curd, but with less fat and fewer calories.  Homemade curd will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week, you also can freeze it in a lidded container or zip-lock bag.  Thaw frozen curd in the refrigerator and use it within one week of thawing.

LEMON CURD

YIELD:   2 1/2 cups

Few ingredients, but big flavor!

Few ingredients, but big flavor!

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 5 medium lemons
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1.  Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium heavy saucepan, stirring with a whisk.  Stir in juice and eggs;  bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat;  add butter and lemon rind, stirring gently until butter melts.

2.  Spoon mixture into a medium bowl to cool.  Cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight (mixture will thicken as it cools).

I wish you could scratch and taste this picture!

I wish you could scratch and taste this picture!

I had a plan in mind when I made this curd.  Be sure to stop back next week to see what I did with it…….

Serving size:   1 Tablespoon      Calories, 35;  Fat, 1 g.  Carb., 6.4 g.

SOURCE:    Cooking Light Annual Recipes, 2007

Citrus Waffles with Marmalade Compote

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Brunch and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Citrus Waffles with Orange Compote

Citrus Waffles with Orange Compote

Every once in a while I pull a surprise  meal and we have “breakfast for supper”.  The events last weekend provided me with just such an opportunity.  We had plans for Sunday that would have included a meal but at the last minute they were unexpectedly cancelled .  I was then faced with the need to come up with a meal that I had not planned for.  So, breakfast for supper was the perfect solution.

Running in parallel  was my desire to incorporate more citrus into our diet.  So I came up with this idea for adding grated orange zest to my waffle batter and making an orange compote to spoon over the top.  Brilliant, if I do say so myself  🙂  I like to add some whole wheat flour to waffles as another way to get in some fiber, and I also added some wheat germ.  Buttermilk makes waffles nice and light if you have some, but you can sour milk and get the same results just by adding a little vinegar to the amount of milk called for.  A non-stressful Sunday evening supper that turned out better than I expected.

COMPOTE

Orange Compote

Orange Compote

YIELD:   Serves 6

Make the compote first and keep warm while you make the waffles.

  • 1/4 cup reduced- sugar orange marmalade  (such as Smucker’s)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 cups fresh orange sections, or any combination of orange and grapefruit.  I used a Cara Cara orange, a navel orange and a clementine.

To prepare compote:   place first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat;  cook 2 minutes until marmalade melts.  Reduce heat, and gently stir in orange sections;  keep warm.

WAFFLES

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flourIMG_3264
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 1  1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1  1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • cooking spray
  • powdered sugar

1.  To prepare the waffles:  lightly spoon both flours into a bowl.  Add brown sugar through nutmeg and stir with a whisk.

2.  Combine buttermilk and next ingredients through egg.  Add this mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Wet and dry ingredients ready to be combined.

Wet and dry ingredients ready to be combined.

3.  Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat it.   Spoon batter onto hot waffle iron, spreading out to edges.  Cook 5 minutes or  until steaming stops.  Repeat with remaining batter, keeping waffles warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

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4.   Sift powdered sugar over tops of waffles and serve with warm orange compote.  Maple syrup tastes really good on them as well!

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SOURCE:   a Carolyn Original

Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , ,
Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit

Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit

Staying with the subject of citrus fruits I thought I would include this simple little recipe–which hardly needs a recipe at all to make, but maybe some of you have never given a thought to heating up or broiling grapefruit.  When my children were small I would cut grapefruits in half, section them, sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar, and place under the broiler until the sugar melted and became a little browned.  Before serving I would place a whole maraschino cherry in the center.  They loved it.  We had it for breakfast, but who’s to say you couldn’t have it as a dessert as well.

My recipe today is very similar to that described above, with just a few more ingredients.   These grapefruit halves are topped with a spiced brown sugar, caramelized under the broiler then topped with a dollop of vanilla infused whipped cream.  It seems more appropriate as a dessert because of the cream on it;  but there’s no right or wrong way to have it.  What’s important is that you get as much citrus as you can  into your diet while it’s so plentiful.  It is one of the best sources of Vitamin C. and also a good source of Vitamin A.

These grapefruit were so juicy, and sweet.  I used cardamom as the spice mixed with the brown sugar and it gave an interesting flavor to the grapefruit.  I made enough of the cream/yogurt mixture to keep some in the refrigerator so that I can make these quickly whenever we want them.  I think they would be great served for  brunch, too.

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BROWN SUGAR BROILED GRAPEFRUIT

SERVINGS    4

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 red or pink grapefruit
  • 8 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
  • 2 teaspoons melted butter
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Position oven rack about 3 inches below the heat source;  preheat broiler.  Line a rimmed baking pan with foil.

2.  Cut each grapefruit in half, then trim a thin slice off the bottom so it sits level.  With a paring knife, or grapefruit knife, cut around each segment, remove any seeds.  Place the grapefruit halves in the prepared pan.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon (or cardamom) in a small bowl.  Brush each half with melted butter, then sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of the sugar mixture.

Brushed with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar.

Brushed with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar.

3.  Broil the grapefruit, watching carefully and rotating the pan once halfway through, until the tops are bubbling and golden brown, 7 to 12 minutes.

After broiling.

After broiling.

4.  Meanwhile beat the cream in a small bowl until stiff.  Beat in yogurt, granulated sugar and vanilla just until combined.  Serve each grapefruit topped with a heaping tablespoon of the vanilla cream.

Top grapefruit with vanilla cream.

Top grapefruit with vanilla cream.

SOURCE:   EatingWell.com

Maple Soy Salmon with Roast Cauliflower

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Maple-Soy Salmon

Maple-Soy Salmon

Since I went  a little hog-wild at the supermarket and purchased a lot of different forms of citrus fruits, now I’m in the situation of trying to use them in as many ways as possible.  Eating them peeled and sectioned “out of hand” and in fruit salads is a given.  A tangerine, a Mineola, or a clementine  make a quick snack any time.  I’ve already shared with you my recipe for Lemon Cream Squares here, so this week I will be featuring recipes that contain other forms of citrus.

Roast Cauliflower with Clementines, Cranberries, and Pistachios

Roast Cauliflower with Clementines, Cranberries, and Pistachios

One of the recent dinners I made was this one, Soy Maple Salmon with Roast Cauliflower.  Even  though you see no mention of a citrus in the title it’s there none the less, in both the salmon part and the cauliflower.  We thought this meal was fabulous and one that I want to repeat again soon.  During this season when seafood is also plentiful, I try to prepare a fish item at least once per week.  The total calories for these two items is under 400 calories, and only 18 Gm. Carbohydrate.  There is a bargain of goodness in this meal any way you look at it.

In planning my time to prepare this meal I found that if I roasted the cauliflower and made a salad while the salmon was marinating, I could then pop the salmon in the hot oven, finish the cauliflower dish and dress the  salad.

SOY-MAPLE SALMON

SERVINGS:    4

Marinating the salmon.

Marinating the salmon.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2  Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2  Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4   4-5 ounce salmon fillets

1.   Mix all the ingredients (except salmon) plus  2 Tablespoons water in a large bowl or zip-lock baggie.  Add the salmon and turn to coat.  Allow this to marinate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

2.   When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400*F.   Coat a rimmed pan with cooking spray.  Drain the fish, season with salt and pepper and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until slightly golden and beginning to crisp around the edges, 8 – 10 minutes.  The salmon should be moist, and flake easily with a fork.

Note:  Salmon will be baked after cauliflower at a lower oven temperature.

ROAST CAULIFLOWER WITH CLEMENTINES, CRANBERRIES AND PISTACHIOS

SERVINGS:   4

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower brushed with oil and ready for the oven.

Cauliflower brushed with oil and ready for the oven.

  • 1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slabs
  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 clementines, zested and segmented
  • 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 2 Tablespoons whole or chopped pistachios
  • 1 teaspoon zest from clementines
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1.    Preheat oven to 450*F.  Arrange cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and brush with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast, flipping once, about half way through cooking time, until tender and a little charred at edges, about 25 minutes.

Cauliflower after roasting.

Cauliflower after roasting.

2.  Transfer to a serving platter with clementine segments and cover with foil to keep warm.  Turn down oven heat to 400*F to cook salmon.

3.  In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil, add the cranberries, pistachios, clementine zest, and a little salt and pepper to taste. Stir to heat through.  When ready to serve, drizzle over the cauliflower and clementines.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

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This dinner entree is a mash-up of two recipes that I put together with some major modifications.

SOURCES:   Salmon:   Food Network Magazine;   Cauliflower:  Whole Living Magazine

Shades of Green

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,

I’m thinking green, people.  I don’t mean environmentally green as in recycle, reduce, reuse or regift.  I mean the color green, as in grass,  spring,  shamrocks, emeralds,  (woo-hoo, my birthstone!).

Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp

Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp

What got me thinking along these lines was a display of fresh asparagus at the supermarket.  This vegetable says spring to me like no other so I had to buy some.  And then the question, ‘what shall I make with it?’  I pondered:  roast asparagus?  steamed asparagus with butter sauce?   asparagus with eggs?  No,  even though I like all those dishes, I wanted something more substantial that would make a whole meal.  So, remembering that I had a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer,  ( remember my resolution not to forget about foods in the freezer?)  I decided on the following recipe for Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp.  This is a healthy, hearty, yet easy recipe that is good enough to serve to guests.  It also makes a great take-along lunch for the next day.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP

SERVES:   about 4 generously

INGREDIENTS

Beautiful green asparagus, shrimp, onions and garlic.

Beautiful green asparagus, shrimp, onions and garlic.

  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table

DIRECTIONS

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the penne and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain

2.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.   Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

Onions doing their thing.

Onions doing their thing.

3.  Pour in the white wine, and simmer for 2 minutes.  Stir in the red pepper flakes, butter, and asparagus;

White wine, butter and asparagus added.

White wine, butter and asparagus added.

Cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp and lemon juice, continue cooking until the shrimp have turned pink and are no longer translucent in the center.  Season with salt and pepper.

Shrimp, lemon juice, and then pasta added.

Shrimp, lemon juice, and then pasta added.

4.  Toss the cooked penne pasta with the shrimp and asparagus mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese to garnish.

This just keeps getting better and better!

Sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese.

Serve with more parmesan cheese at the table to sprinkle on each serving.

SOURCE:  AllRecipes.com

A Breath of Sunshine

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts, Snacks and tagged with , , , , ,

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We are growing tired of winter winds whipping, snow piled up in hugh mountains, and very little green(ery) to be seen.  So along comes a breath of sunshine in the form of citrus fruits to remind us of warm weather and sunnier times.  The bright colors of oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits, are so cheerful, and they show up in the produce isles just when we need them most.  I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a little warm weather fling.

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Citrus fruits are an equal opportunity ingredient, happy in either savory dishes or sweet.  For example, I use orange segments in green salad to brighten it up and give the salad a little interest and of course I bake with citrus, especially lemons. This post is not going to be using words like zippy, zingy, tangy and tart to describe the flavors of citrus.   You don’t need me to tell you what a lemon tastes like, or how frequently a recipe calls for lemon juice.  In fact I don’t know of a cuisine that does not use citrus in one way or another.  It’s the citric acid that brightens food and makes it come alive.  Often its there,  you don’t know it, but it provides balance.

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One of my favorite uses for lemons is to make lemon squares.  With the abundance of  all this citrus, I decided to indulge myself and make a batch.   This recipe uses oatmeal as one of the ingredients in the cookie base and the topping, so you get a nice little crunch in every bite.  Paired with the smooth creaminess of the lemon filling, this makes a very satisfying dessert or snack.

LEMON CREME SQUARES

YIELD:   12 squaresIMG_3154

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  •  zest of 1 lemon

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F,  and lightly grease a 9″ x 9″ pan

2.  In a large bowl cut butter into brown sugar until they are well combined.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Add this mixture and the oats to the butter mixture and mix to combine.  This will be quite dry and crumbly.

4.  Press half the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, and press down lightly.

5.   In a small bowl mix together the condensed milk, lemon juice and zest.

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Spread evenly on top of the oat mixture in the pan.  Top with the remaining oat mixture.

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6.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Let cool and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.  Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

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SOURCE:   TASTE OF HOME BAKING

Chicken Yakitori Rice Bowl

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,
Chicken Yakitori

Chicken Yakitori

I didn’t know what “Yakitori” was, since I had never had it, but I was willing to experiment with a new recipe.  The title was intriguing, and besides that it promised to take only 20 minutes cooking time.  On a Friday evening I’m usually looking for a quick-to-fix meal and this one seemed to fit the bill.

I glanced at the recipe initially and knew that I had everything on hand that it called for with the exception of snow peas, so while I was out doing some errands, I stopped at the market to get some.  Snow peas are tender and crisp, some with tiny peas inside the shell, but they do have a tough “string” along the side that needs to be pulled off.  So to prepare them for the recipe, you need to wash them, then remove the tips and the string.  Then each one gets cut in half lengthwise.

Snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally lengthwise .

Snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally lengthwise .

The bunch of green onions called for also need to be cut into 1-inch pieces.  Therefore you need to plan for some prep time for the vegetables. Once all that is done the rest goes together quickly.

Green onions cut into one-inch pieces

Green onions cut into one-inch pieces

The seasoning in this dish is achieved thru the use of Asian ingredients;  soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), rice vinegar and peanut oil. Together they make a pleasant flavoring that is very enjoyable.  Mirin is low in alcohol content, and most of it cooks off in this recipe.  For a non-alcoholic version, substitute an equal amount of chicken broth and another tablespoon of rice vinegar.

Asian seasonings

Asian seasonings

CHICKEN YAKITORI RICE BOWL

YIELD:   Serves   4

  • 2  ( 3.5-ounce ) bags boil-in-bag basmati rice
  • 1/4 cup lower sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin  (sweet rice wine)
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
  • 1 pound boneless chicken, either breast or thigh meat. ( If meat is thick cut in half lengthwise)
  • 8 ounces snow peas, halved lengthwise diagonally
  • 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1.  Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

2.  Combine soy sauce through chicken broth in microwavable bowl.  Heat on HIGH for 1 minute to dissolve sugar.  Stir, and set aside.

3.  Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add 2 teaspoons peanut oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chicken pieces to pan; cook for 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

Lightly brown chicken pieces.

Lightly brown chicken pieces.

Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly.  Cut into ( 1-inch ) strips.

4.  Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan.  Add snow peas and onions; sauté 2 minutes.

Saute snow peas and onions.

Saute snow peas and onions.

Add soy sauce mixture and chicken to pan;

Add in chicken pieces.

Add in chicken pieces and soy sauce mixture.

Cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and chicken is throughly cooked, stirring frequently.

5.  To serve, place 1 cup rice in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup of chicken mixture.

Serve over rice.

Serve over rice.

Our assessment of this recipe?  Both of us liked it well enough for me to make it again.  I am not generally fond of main course foods that  are sweet.  So for me,  it was a little too sweet.   Next time I will reduce the sugar to 2 Tablespoons from the 3 called for and I will probably add some matchstick cut carrots to the mix, just to get in another vegetable and for more color.

With some advance planning;  i.e. prepping the vegetables the night before and keeping them refrigerated,  this meal will go together quickly.  In the time it takes to cook the rice, you can have the chicken skillet made.

Chicken Yakitori

Chicken Yakitori

Source:   Cooking Light,  December, 2012