Gleanings of Wheat

So, my game plan tonight was to make this version of sesame chicken . I asked J if she wanted to help, she said no, so I started making dinner. I went to check on her brother and I came back just in time to see her tip the bottle of sesame seeds upside down. You know how in the movies something is falling and they shoot it at half speed to make it dramatic? You know how the inevitable "No!" really sounds like "NNNNNoooooooooooo!"? Totally what happened. I thanked her for her help and sent her off to finish her movie while I finished dinner. This is what she left me with: This is the end result: Considering there was way too much sesame, it was pretty good! I'll remake it without her help and let you know my final verdict. Recipe 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 5 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast ...

Sorry guys, I forgot to take a photo...Tonight I played mad scientist in the kitchen - and my 8 year old commented on how good it smelled. Regardless of how it tasted I declared the meal a success b/c he is so incredibly picky. It gets better though, not only did it smell great it tasted great! Here's basically what I did: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tsp ground curry 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp lemon zest 1 can cranberry sauce salt & pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 350. Add a bit of olive oil to a baking pan, season the chicken with salt & pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add the rest of the ingredients to a bowl and mix together. After 20 minutes top the chicken with the cranberry mixture (reserve 2 tbsp per person for dipping) and bake until the chicken is cooked through. I served this up with some white rice.

I'm a sucker for some good Chinese food, the problem is Tong's Tiki Hut ( Google it ) has absolutely ruined Chinese food for me. Their food is the standard by which I judge all other Chinese food. The problem is, I don't really live near Tong's and the cheapskate in me can't stand the idea of spending money on gas AND then on food - even for as much as I love it. I've tried making Chinese at home before, I'm never satisfied with the results - they've always been mediocre or down right bad. About a month I go I treated myself to a bargain bin Chinese cookbook from Barnes and Noble. Tonight I made my first recipe from it. Incidentally it was also the first time I've used my wok. The results? Actually not bad! I mean, it certainly wasn't Tong's and didn't taste the same as the sweet and sour chicken I'm used to, but the flavors were pretty good*. Coupled with a Trader Joe's egg roll, and I'm a pretty happy girl! 2 tbsp uns...

The problem So last night I put some chicken breasts in the fridge to defrost. After lunch today I was faced with a dilemma - I had some lettuce, tomatoes, & green bell peppers that needed to be used within the next few days or risk them going to waste. I pulled up Food Network , and Martha Stewart's website to try and find something to make. Meanwhile I sent out a tweet asking for ideas and I also pulled My Fridge Food , plugged in some ingredients and started reading. I take food going to waste pretty seriously. I had a few things that looked interesting and with some encouragement I decided to go the wrap route...but instead of going and buying tortillas I decided to use the lettuce as the thing to hold everything together. They say a picture is worth a thousand words How I got it Dice two chicken breasts, a tomato, and a bell pepper. Slice a potato and a cucumber. Mince a clove of garlic. Season liberally with salt & pepper. Heat a skillet with olive oil ...

Here's my game plan for the next week: Chicken Jalfrezi Vegetable Samosas Shrimp and Pineapple Curry Garlic and Cilantro Naan Bread **11/22/10 update** I made everything on the list but the shrimp & pineapple curry. Outcome? Delicious. Seriously. I don't generally like cooked vegetables but the samosas were amazing, especially with the dipping sauce.

I watched the Food Network today for the first time in months (I've been so busy, guys, it isn't even funny) and have new recipes I'm dying to try. Oh, and William likes Bobby Flay. Here's my to do list for the next couple of weeks: From Sandra Lee: Shrimp Scampi with Pesto Couscous - the left overs from this will allow me to make Shrimp Bruschetta . I don't know if my kids will eat S'mores Pudding Parfait , but I know I sure will. From Bobby Flay: Thai BBQ Chicken Thai-Style Grilled Vegetables Korean Grilled Chicken Bibimbap Salad

At last, a real post about food! Tonight for dinner I grilled some chicken breasts after seasoning them with salt, pepper, and a touch of cilantro. For sides, I cheated and used Uncle Ben's Santa Fe rice, sliced some potatoes and threw them in the oven till they were a bit crispy. By the way, those were seasoned with salt, pepper, cilantro, and thyme. To top the chicken I sliced 3 cloves of garlic, mixed them with some sliced mushrooms, and threw that in a skillet with about a cup of milk; cook those puppies over medium heat until the milk is thick like a sauce. If it won't thicken, add a tablespoon of flour. Here's how it turned out: The chicken? Yum. The potatoes? Yum. The rice was a tad dry, and the mushrooms were nothing to scream over.

I'm using this Paula Dean recipe tonight on my chicken. My alterations to follow. 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter 2 lemons, juiced Chicken: 2 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chickens split into 2 halves, to yield 4 halves House Seasoning, recipe follows Heat butter in a skillet. Add the Worcestershire sauce, peanut butter, and lemon juice, and blend well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Prepare grill for direct grilling. When coals are white hot, spread them evenly and place grate on grill to heat. Spray grate with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Rub chickens thoroughly with House Seasoning. Place chicken halves onto your grill to begin the cooking process, this could take up to 1 hour depending on your coals. Turn as often as necessary to prevent burning. About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, start basting with the grilling sauce on both sides, turning constantly. Chicken is done when leg moves easily at joints. House Seasoning: 1 cup...

I made this for dinner last night - sorry, I forgot to take a picture - and it was awesome and super easy. Served it with white rice. Next time I make it I think I'll back the cinnamon off just a bit. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon paprika 6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves 2 cloves fresh garlic, shaved*** Whisk first 7 ingredients to blend in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add chicken to dish and turn to coat with marinade. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, turning occasionally. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Spray grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill chicken until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to plates. ***I added two cloves of garlic (shaved paper thin) to the marinade and cooked the chicken ...

Tonight I'm making an old favorite. Both portions of the dinner are from Giada, you can find the links  here and here . I made this for the first time about 4 years ago and it was such a hit I made it two nights later for some friends. I've been craving it lately, so I decided tonight was the night to make it again. Chicken Saltimbocca 6 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten Salt  and freshly  ground  black pepper 6 paper-thin slices prosciutto 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto atop each chicken cutlet. Squeeze the frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon of oil to coat. Arrange an even, t...

I went to Olive Garden last week with my mom and got a little adventurous. Normally I get the Chicken Scampi or the portebello filled ravioli, this time I opted for the Venetian Apricot Chicken. It sounded weird, but ended up being one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Luckily for me OG has the recipe on their website! Apricot Sauce: 1/2 cup chicken stock (broth) 1/2 cup apricot preserves Salt and pepper to taste Tomato Mixture: 1/2 lb roma tomatoes, cut into 1” pieces 6 basil leaves, cut into 1/2” pieces 1 tsp garlic pepper Salt to taste Garlic Herb Seasoning: 3 tsp garlic pepper 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 bunch asparagus (remove bottom inch of stems) 1/2 lb broccoli florets 1Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Chopped parsley to garnish Procedures COMBINE Garlic Herb Seasoning ingredients in a small mixing bowl and set aside. BLEND chicken stock and apricot preserves in a sauce pan. Add salt & pepper to tas...

I'm dying to try this . I'm thawing a small hen right now, so maybe I'll alter the cooking method and use the sauce! 1 stick butter or marg. 1 cup ketchup 1/3 cup vinegar 1tsp. salt 1/8 dry mustard 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning Melt butter in pan. Add ketchup, vinegar, salt, mustard and Italian Seasoning. Bring to a boil. Pour over chicken in baking dish. Usually use 4 to 6 chicken breasts for this. I use boneless but my mom always used the chicken with the bone in. Bake at 400* for an hour. (that is most likely when using chicken with the bone. I use boneless and average between 45 to 50 min. for this.) Just check.

I'm sure by now everyone knows about my love for Chinese food, so it should come as no surprise I recently signed up for an email newsletter that sends me recipes! I got my first one today , I'm very excited about it. Wok Wok spider Wok spatula or ladle Small strainer for dusting corn starch 1.5 pounds chicken, thigh or breast cut into 3/4 inch cubes 3 1/2 cups peanut oil 8-12 dried chinese chiles, chopped if you like the dish hotter, whole if you are of the mild persuasion. 1/2 cup finely sliced scallion 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch for dusting Marinade 1 large egg, beaten 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 pinch white pepper 2 tablespoons cornstarch Sauce 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine. Mix together the marinade ingredients and add it to the chicken. Ensure the chicken is throughly coated then set it ...

I love MckMama's blog , it is one of the few that I read daily, but I think I love it more now that I know she doesn't really measure stuff either! Anyway, this sounds yummy and may end up being my dinner tonight. Click over to see what it looks like. a bunch of shredded chicken the corn off two corn on the cobs 1 can of Ro-Tel with cilantro and lime 1 can of black beans the juice of 1/2 lime salt lots of torn, fresh basil 1/4 cup sour cream, plus an extra dollop Mix all ingredients together, except the dollop of sour cream. Chill. Serve with more torn basil and the sour cream dollop on top. Giggle at the repeated use of the word dollop. Fight your children or significant other off, because they will want some and you will not want to share.

Now this sounds really interesting. Maybe this weekend? If I do it I'm just going to use chicken breasts rather than an entire chicken. 1 whole chicken 4 tbsp cummin powder 2 tbsp coriander powder 4 tbsp ginger paste 2 tbsp garlic paste 2 tbsp onion paste 5 tbsp soya sauce 2 tbsp thick soya sauce 1 cinnamon stick 4 pcs cloves 2 pcs clove flowers 200 ml coca cola 6 tbsp corn oil 3 cups water 1 tbsp salt Clean the chicken and cut into small bite sizes. pour oil in a wok then fry the cinnamon stick, cloves and cloves flower. when it pops, put the ginger, garlic, onion paste, fry till aroma rises Then put the cummin, coriander powder in a slow fire ,fry well. After 5 minut put the chicken in the wok and mix well. Pour 3 cups of water,1 tbsp salt and cover it. Cook till the chicken becomes tender. Put thin and thick soya sauce cook for 5 min. Lastly pour the coca cola into the gravy and serve it with plain rice.

I will be continuing my series until I run out of ideas or Passover occurs. I got the recipe from Jews for Jesus . 4 pounds chicken parts 3 1/4 quarts water 3 onions, peeled 2 cloves garlic 1 bay leaf 2 chicken bouillon cubes 1 1/4 tablespoons salt 2 carrots, peeled 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried dill Place chicken parts, onions and water in an 8-quart pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, skimming foam off top as necessary. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT dried dill and parsley: cover and simmer for 1-2 more hours. (If desired, soup can be strained at this point.) Add dill and parsley and cook for 15 minutes more. Refrigerate overnight. Skim off fat before reheating next day. Serve with knaidlach (recipe following) Makes approximately 10 servings. Passover 2009 Series Introduction Charoseth Fat-free Knaidlach

Got it from here . Very easy to make, fast too! I picked this because I had some tortillas that were going to go bad soon and this way they didn't go to waste. 3 c. cooked, diced chicken 8 flour tortillas, cut in strips 1 small onion, cut in rings 2 c. grated cheddar cheese 1/2 c. chicken broth 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes 1 can diced green chiles Put chicken in bottom of casserole, then layer with tortillas, onion and cheese. In medium bowl whisk together the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles. Pour over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes until bubbly.

In keeping with my Indian theme here is another recipe I found at Food Network. 2 tablespoons ground turmeric 1 tablespoon crushed dried chili flakes 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces 2 cups chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1/2 hot pepper, such as Scotch bonnet or serrano, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste 2 cups chicken broth 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 recipe West Indian Bread for Roti, recipe follows, breads kept covered and warm In a medium skillet or saute pan combine the turmeric, chili flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, ginger,...

I found this linked over at Thrifty Mommy this morning and it sounds really interesting so I'm adding it to my list of recipes to try. Maybe tomorrow or this weekend. 3 to 4 cups cubed cooked chicken 3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1 cup mayonnaise 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25) 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/2 cup sliced almonds In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer chicken and broccoli. In a bowl, combine soup and mayonnaise; spoon over the broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the crackers and butter; sprinkle over the cheese. Top with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6-8 servings.

I am a huge fan of Chinese food. When I was pregnant with my daughter I ate egg rolls for breakfast, lunch, and dinner a lot of the time. I know, it was a bit crazy - but the local restraunt loved me. Anyway, sesame chicken is one of my favorite dishes and this one got pretty close to the restaurant quality. Not quite, but in a pinch this will certainly suffice. I served this on a bed of microwavable noodles I picked up at Walgreens when I realized I didn't have any rice in the house. The rice would have been better. Oh well. Oh! Also feel free to throw in various veggies. I suggest baby corn and green peppers. 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon cornstarch* 1/2-1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Cut chicken breast into 1 inch strips or bite size pieces. Heat a large non-stick skillet that has been sprayed with Pam, over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for ...