PROTEINS – Page 130 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN with APRICOT MAPLE PINEAPPLE GLAZE

Do you like those rotisserie chicken from the market? I do, but on average they are only 2-3 pounds and cost anywhere from $5-$8 or even more. My local grocer ran a unadvertised special the other day and I got this 5.86 pound beauty for 97 cents a pound.

I love my cast iron skillet too! There is nothing better for even cooking heat! I like to roast my chicken in there so the sides are always radiating an even heat to whole chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN

1 5-6 pound roasting chicken

4 tablespoons butter, softened

salt & pepper

1/2 onion, wedged small

1 cup apricot pineapple preserves

1/4 cup PURE maple syrup

Wash chicken and dry.
Spread butter along the inside of the cast iron pan and all over the chicken.
Generously salt and pepper the chicken.
Place onions along side the chicken.
In a small bowl whisk together the preserves and syrup. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
Roast at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
With a pastry brush spread preserve mixture all over the chicken every 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through. This should be from 30-45 minutes based on the actual weight of your chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN

I love my cast iron skillet too! There is nothing better for even cooking heat! I like to roast my chicken in there so the sides are always radiating an even heat to whole chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN

1 5-6 pound roasting chicken

4 tablespoons butter, softened

salt & pepper

1/2 onion, wedged small

1 cup apricot pineapple preserves

1/4 cup PURE maple syrup

Wash chicken and dry.
Spread butter along the inside of the cast iron pan and all over the chicken.
Generously salt and pepper the chicken.
Place onions along side the chicken.
In a small bowl whisk together the preserves and syrup. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
Roast at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
With a pastry brush spread preserve mixture all over the chicken every 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through. This should be from 30-45 minutes based on the actual weight of your chicken.

BUNLESS BURGER SERIES #1 ~ GOLDEN FUNGUS BURGER

Over at THE Motivation Station I’m going to be doing a series of posts about eating on $1 a day per person. Trust me it can be done. One of the awesome things though is that it can be done and make you feel like you’re eating like a gourmet while doing it.

This is my first recipe in the BUNLESS BURGER SERIES. Bread in general is expensive and can be timely to make. It also doesn’t help on my diet so thought I would try going “bunless” and we are soooooooooooooooo glad we did. With planning to eat the burger with a knife and fork I was able to add so many more ingredients that would have otherwise made the bun mushy and slippery. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

So simple, but oh so yummy too.

GOLDEN FUNGUS BURGER

2 1/3 # burger patties

1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin

4-5 large button mushrooms, sliced thin

1 large Roma tomato or 4 baby Roma tomatoes, sliced thin

1/4 cup Chablis

1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Grill burgers inside or out. I add just a touch of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the meat and hand form the patties.
In a large sauce pan melt butter.
When sizzling add onions and saute’ until translucent.
Add mushrooms and saute until tender.
Add wine and continue sauteing until moisture has sizzled away.
Add tomatoes until heated through.
Plate burger.
Top with onion mixture and then cheese. I use the pan lid over the plate for a minute to melt the cheese.

IMPERIAL CHICKEN aka BROWN BAG CHICKEN ~ VINTAGE RECIPE THURSDAY & MAGAZINE MONDAY

I found this recipe in my bottomless box of magazine tear outs, clipped recipes from old worn cookbooks, grams old recipe cards and printouts to try. I’ve adapted it to my love of skinless, boneless chicken.

IMPERIAL CHICKEN

1 cup dried bread crumbs (I use my stale sourdough ends and made my own)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

large brown paper lunch sack, new and clean

PURE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small food processor blend bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until finely ground and well blended.
Spray the inside of the paper bag with PURE really well.
Dip chicken into melted butter and then into bread crumbs.
Place chicken pieces in the bag, fold over and close tightly.
Bake 30-45 minutes. Be careful when you open the bag as the steam escapes. Chicken will be moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

SLOW COOKED MEAT BALLS

On the weekends when we are going to be home all day, I LOVE the smell of something scrumptious cooking and this recipe is one of my favorites. The great thing about this recipe though is that it’s great for working moms during the week too.

SLOW COOKED MEAT BALLS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef*
4 slices stale sourdough bread made into crumbs
1 JUMBO egg, beaten
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of golden mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and herbs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil

With your hands mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion and half the seasonings.
Form into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
Spray the bottom of the slow cooker lightly with PURE.
Gently lay the meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Mix together the soup, broth and tomatoes.
Pour over meatballs.
Cover and cook 7-9 hours on low.

*I like to make my own ground beef when brisket is on sale. It makes for a richer tasting beef flavor! Thank you Tyler Florence!

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SHRIMP SCAMPI

I LOVE to eat Shrimp Scampi, but I have never made it or eaten it at home., at least not as an adult. I do remember as a kid how we would go down to Galveston and buy them directly from the fisherman at the end of the day. Now that’s fresh fish. It’s hard to buy what markets call “fresh” fish after you’ve done that.

So I decided to do some research for a good recipe and see what the term scampi actually meant. I have to admit I was completely blindsided by the fact that scampi is a term that actually pertains to lobster, Norwegian lobster in particular.

“Scampi is a culinary name for some species of lobster , notably the ‘true’ scampi Nephrops norvegicus,…” In both the United Kingdom and the USA , the word has come to define the method of preparation rather than the ingredient, although referring to quite different methods in the two countries. This being said, I think I’ll make some chicken scampi tomorrow night.

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
1/3 cup clarified butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

Clean and rinse shrimp, dry well and set aside.
Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat.
Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.
Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Do not overcook.
Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.
Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.

CRAB LOUIE with OOMPH!

I bolded the OOMPH ingredients that are
different from my day to day recipe.

CRAB SALAD & HOMEMADE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
CRAB SALAD
8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced green onion
salt and pepper
mayo (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Pepper Sauce
Romaine lettuce
Roma tomatoes, sliced
Snap peas, halved
pickled beets, sliced
hard boiled eggs, sliced

Wash lettuce, peas and tomatoes. Arrange on plate. Salt and pepper.
Mix crab, celery, onion, hot sauce, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
Place a large scoop of crab salad over the romaine mix.
Serve over chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and snap peas.
Top with dressing.

1000 ISLAND DRESSING
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1 heaping tablespoon minced red onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

In a mini blender blend all ingredients to desired consistency.

SUBTLE DRUNKEN CHICKEN – no dancing or wobbling!

According to Wikipedia Drunken Chicken is a name given to many different ways of cooking chicken that all involve alcohol. A western version (also known as beer can chicken, dancing chicken or chicken on a throne) is made by standing a prepared chicken upright on a partially filled can of beer and cooking it slowly in a barbecue or oven. The can goes into the opening of the chicken so that the beer evaporates and permeates the cooking chicken. It received the name dancing chicken due to way the chicken wobbles once the beer has evaporated and due to the fact the chicken is flavored with evaporated beer. The wobbling and falling usually indicates the chicken is done This means I already have a drunken chicken recipe with my Tropical Roasted Chicken, but thought I’d try for another!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 ounce Curacao
1 ounce Bacardi rum
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 broccoli crown, cleaned and separated
1 can diced garlic & onion tomatoes, drained but reserve juice
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups egg noodles

Pierce each chicken breast several times with a fork.
Combine the rum and Curacao in an airtight tupperware.
Add chicken and marinade for several hours over overnight.

Prepare egg noodles according to package directions.
Steam broccoli to JUST tender.

In a small saucepan melt 3 tablespoons butter.
Sprinkle with flour and make roux.
Combine the marinade and reserved tomato juice and add to roux.
Cook over medium heat until thickens slightly.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over a medium heat.
Drain chicken, retaining marinade.
Saute chicken, garlic and green onions together, salt and peppering to taste.

Add tomatoes and heat through.
Add broccoli until warmed through.
Plate over egg noodles.
Pour sauce over top.

HONEY ROASTED CHICKEN

HONEY ROASTED CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts, skin-on chicken
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bacon, chopped
peanut oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 navel orange
3 tangerines
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, quartered and quartered again
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine, just eyeball the amount
1/4 cup good quality orange blossom honey
Crusty bread, to pass at table

Today I had an extra shallot and few strawberries that I threw in for good measure!

Wash and dry chicken and season with salt, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425˚F.
Mince garlic.
Meanwhile, in a roasting pan or large casserole, toss with tangerines and oranges with onions. Liberally drizzle with peanut oil – enough to thinly coat the oranges and onions (a couple of tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper and scoot the oranges and onions off to the sides of the pan.
Arrange chicken in pan and rub with peanut oil to coat the skin. Season chicken with black and red pepper.
Top with bacon pieces.
Add wine to the pan.
Drizzle honey around the pan and place in the oven.
Roast 45 minutes or until juices run clear.
Serve chicken with oranges and onions, and with pan juices with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes.

Pizza Casserole: Lovin’ From The Oven

This recipe was originally meant for the slow cooker, but after making it, I realized it would have been a lot easier to simply bake it. Any crock pot recipe that isn’t easy, that makes you cook two or three things separately, just shouldn’t be a crock pot recipe in my opinion. So that being said, the pictures you are about to see take place in a slow cooker. You will have to use your imagination. (Tamy, this would look great in your new white roaster!)

Pizza Casserole:

1 package egg noodles, cooked

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (a combo of beef and pork would be great)

1/2 onion, chopped

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 small can mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

+ your favorite pizza toppings (1 cup ham or pepperoni, green peppers, black olives, etc)

3 cups each shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese (I added some Provolone, too)

Cook the hamburger with the onion. Combine the meat with the spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning.

For Crockpot: Spray crock with PAM. Layer the meat sauce, then noodles then pizza toppings then cheese three times. This completely filled my large crock pot. Cook on low 3-4 hours.

For Oven: Spray a very large casserole or maybe two 9 X 13 pans with PAM and layer 2 or 3 times like you would in the Crockpot. Cover with foil and bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cheese is melted and all is heated through. (Note: you could eat one and freeze one before you baked it)

SLOW COOKED MEAT BALLS

With your hands mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion and half the seasonings.
Spray the bottom of the slow cooker lightly with PURE.
Gently lay the meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Mix together the soup, broth and tomatoes.
Pour over meatballs.
Cover and cook 7-9 hours on low.

*I like to make my own when brisket is on sale. It makes for a richer tasting beef flavor!

MEXICAN BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE

BEFORE BAKING~~~~~AFTER BAKING

MEXICAN BEEF TORTILLA CASSEROLE
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
4 ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1 cup milk
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups grated jack and cheddar cheese mix
Tortilla chips

Saute’ beef and onion until well browned. Drain off fat.
In a saucepan over a medium heat combine soup, chiles, tomatoes, cheese and milk until well blended, cheese is melted and mixture starts to bubble.
Spray a 9×9 baking dish with PURE.
Loosely layer tortilla chips in bottom of casserole.
Top with meat mixture.
Pour cheese mixture over meat mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Category: PROTEINS