Gleanings of Wheat

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 ...

I got this recipe out of my Martha Stewart Living cookbook . The second I read the title of it I knew I had to try it. My kids, however, could not be convinced to try it. It was really quite good, I saved the left overs and plan on having it for lunch in the next day or two. 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds, toasted 1 lb white onions, quartered 3 lg Yukon gold potatoees, peeled & quartered 3 tart apples, such as Fuji or Granny Smith 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 3 1/2 to 4 c chicken broth, skimmed of fat 3 sprigs fresh tarragon Transfer the seeds to a spice mill, and grind into a fine powder. Reserve 1 1/2 tsp of the ground fennel. Preheat the oven to 450, arrange onions & potatoes in a large roasting pan. Core 2 apples (skin on) and add to the pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with cumin, ground fennel, 1/2 tsp salt, & pepper. Roast 25 minutes. Remove app...

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'm making this for dinner tonight. I just wanted to use some of the sesame seeds I had sitting around and this was one of the first things that came up as I was searching. Also, I've had some people ask about nutritional value, so as I'm able I'll be posting that info at the bottom of the recipes. 4 (6-oz. size) tilapia fillets 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 6 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Place fish in single layer in shallow baking dish. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil; sprinkle with pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Press sesame seeds onto both sides of fillets. Heat vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add fish; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and fish just begins to flake, turning once. PER SERVING: 300 calories, 16.5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 35 g protein, 2.5 g carbohydrate, 90 mg cholesterol, 375 mg sodium, 2 g ...

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 ...

I came across this yesterday, and despite my general distaste for cabbage it looks really interesting. So interesting I may consider making it! Photo via Closet Cooking 1 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour) 3/4 cup  dashi  (or water) 1 egg 1/4 of a cabbage, about 2-3 cups packed (shredded) 1 carrot, about 1/2 cup (grated) 1 small zucchini, about 1 cup (grated) 1 green onion (chopped) 3 slices bacon okonomiyaki sauce (or Worcestershire sauce) mayonnaise green onion (chopped) 1. Mix the flour, dashi, egg, cabbage, carrot and zucchini in a large bowl. 2. Heat some oil in pan. 3. Pour in mixture and top with the bacon slices. 4. Cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 5-15 minutes per side. 5. Top with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and green onion and slice.

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...

4 6oz fresh sockeye fillets 1/2 c melted butter Blackened seasoning Brush fillets on both sides with 1/4 c butter and sprinkle evenly with seasoning. Drizzle one side of each fillet of 1/2 of remaining butter. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook salmon butter side down for 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking till fish is easily flaked with a fork.

1lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined 1 16oz package of rice 1/3c butter 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4c fresh chopped parsley 2 tbsp lemon juice salt & pepper to taste Prepare rice per package instructions. In large skillet, heat butter over medium-low heat. Add shrimp & garlic, then saute turning frequently until shrimp is just about to turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Stir well. Serve over fresh, hot rice with steamed snow peas.

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 not a huge bean fan, normally, but there are certain dishes that just do it for me. This is one of them. 1lb ground beef 2 16oz cans of pinto beans 1 8oz can of tomato sauce 1/2 c mild chunky salsa 1 tsp chili powder 1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese Heat oven to 375. Cook beef in skillet over medium heat 8-10 minutes until brown, drain. Rinse & drain the beans. Mix beef, beans, tomato sauce, salsa & chili powder in ungreased baking pan. Cover with lid or aluminum foil & bake 40-45 minutes, stirring once or twice. Carefully remove the lid, & sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted.

3 or 4 links of Italian sausage 4 1/2 tbsp evoo 1 med eggplant, peeled & cut into 3/4in dice 2 small zucchini, halved & sliced 1 large onion, quartered & thinly sliced 1 medium green bell pepper, halved & sliced 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 c canned diced tomatoes 1 tbsp + 1 tsp tomato paste salt & pepper 2 tbsp chopped parsley 3 tbsp chopped basil Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Puncture the links in several places & cook them at a low boil until they are no longer pink in the center - about 14 minutes. Transfer to plate & slice them into 1/4in rounds. Over medium high heat, warm 3 tbsp of evoo in a large, deep skillet. Add the eggplant & zucchini & saute them until they are lightly browned but not soft - about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. In the same skillet warm the remaining oil. Add the onion & bell pepper & saute them for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic & sausage & saute for 3 more minutes. Stir in tomatoe...

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.

I got this puppy out of a Betty Crocker $1 cookbook from Target called "20-minute Meals;" apparently Rachel Ray needed to be beaten? Anyway, it was super easy and very yummy. The recipe is followed up by a couple quick notes. 1/4 c finely chopped red bell pepper 2 tsp finely chopped, seeded jalapeno chiles 1 tsp finely chopped or grated gingerroot OR 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 c peach preserves 1 tbsp lime juice 1 small mango, cut lenthwise in half, pitted & chopped 4 boneless beef NY strip steaks 1-2 tsp Caribbean jerk seasoning* In medium bowl, mix bell pepper, chiles & gingerroot. Stir in preserves, lime juice & mango. Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle both sides of beef with jerk seasoning. Place on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops 4-6 inches from heat 6-10 minutes, turning once, until desired doneness. Top with salsa & serve. NOTES *I didn't have this on hand so I just used my Kansas City Steak Seasoning. Still turned out fine. Also, I don't ...

A girl from church gave me the biggest zucchini I have ever seen on Wednesday. Today I'm going to be making this for dinner. It sounds nice and light - perfect for a summer dinner. 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice 2/3 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cubed 1 cup sliced green onions 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided Combine the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with garlic salt, basil, paprika, and oregano. Mix in the cooked rice, tomatoes, and 1 cup cheese. Continue to...

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'm going to make this tomorrow. I'm working on finding more ethnic recipes to go along with it. Injera is not only a kind of bread—it’s also an eating utensil. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, this spongy, sour flatbread is used to scoop up meat and vegetable stews. Injera also lines the tray on which the stews are served, soaking up their juices as the meal progresses. When this edible tablecloth is eaten, the meal is officially over. Injera is made with teff, a tiny, round grain that flourishes in the highlands of Ethiopia. While teff is very nutritious, it contains practically no gluten. This makes teff ill-suited for making raised bread, however injera still takes advantage of the special properties of yeast. A short period of fermentation gives it an airy, bubbly texture, and also a slightly sour taste. 1/4 cup teff flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup water a pinch of salt peanut or vegetable oil 1. Put the teff flour in the bottom of a mixing bowl, and sift in the all-purpose...

Have I mentioned I'm not a huge fan of steak? I know that sounds weird, but I'm just not. I could eat it a few times per year and be ok with that. Which is why chicken is featured so frequently on the blog. I've tried a million different things to my meat to see if that will make me enjoy it more to no avail - until now. Last night I threw some Olde Cape Cod All Natural Raspberry Vinaigrette on my cut of sirloin and let it sit for about 30 minutes before I threw it on the grill. Seriously, guys, delicious. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, so it was a very nice surprise.