Curried Chicken

Posted on October 23, 2011 by okieranchwife

Curry spice is just a mixture of different Indian type spices. If you don’t have these individual ones you can use a pre-mixed curry spice.

  • 2 Sweet Onions, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive OIl (EVOO)
  • 4 teaspoons ground Corriander
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry Mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Tumeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cardamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh grated Ginger
  • 3 pounds Chicken legs, thighs and breasts
  • 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • Black or Red Cayenne Pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups hot Water
  • 1/3 cup Half & Half
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

In a large skillet heat the EVOO over medium heat. Sweat the onions until transparent and tender. Mix all of the spices together. Add to the onion. Cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the chicken parts to the onion mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the salt and hot water. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes to reduce the water and until chicken is tender and cooked through.  Just before serving stir in the cream and heat gently but do not boil. Add the lemon juice just before spooning into the serving dish.  This can be served with cooked brown or basmati rice for a filling meal.

 

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Cheese Fondue

Posted on October 20, 2011 by okieranchwife

Okay now! Don’t snicker. I realize that Cheese Fondue conjures up images of an old James Bond movie (with Sean Connery*, OF COURSE!) Apres Ski parties, and Euro-type Hipsters wearing black turtlenecks and saying “Yeah Baby’. But fondue can still be fun for a snack. And I still have my old fondue set from the late ’70’s in storage in the small garage. Now I just use a small saucepan on the stove.

*Just had to add that my husband and I came face to face with Sir Sean Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland at the Caledonian Hilton. He was in Edinburgh for the Queen’s July 2007 Garden party when she invited 2,000 of her closest friends to Holyrood House! LOL!! We were in Edinburgh for our honeymoon. 

  • 2 cups Jarlsburg Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Gruyère Cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
  • 1 clove Garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 2 cups Chardonnay or any dry white wine of your choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • Dash of ground Nutmeg

French bread cut in bite size pieces, raw vegetables, cooked ham cubes or cooked shrimp.

Toss together the cheese and flour. Rub the garlic on the inside of saucepan and then discard. Add the wine and heat. Over low to medium low heat add the cheese 1/2 cup at a time. Stir after each addition of cheese until it is melted. Continue until all cheese is added. Add more wine if needed.  Add salt, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg. If you have a fondue pot that uses a little sterno pot, transfer cheese mixture to that and keep the cheese mix hot with sterno. Dip the bread and other items in the fondue and enjoy! This can be easily doubled.

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Apple Slaw

Posted on October 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

This colorful recipe is a nice change from a regular cabbage slaw. I use three different cuts on the ingredient just to have three different textures. I like to have this as a side to one of my chicken dishes.

  • 1 medium Granny Smith Apple, cored, unpeeled and juilanned
  • 1 heaping cup Purple Cabbage, thin sliced
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Celery Seeds

Mix all ingredients. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. I don’t put sugar in this because we like it a little more sour. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

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Chuck Roast Chili

Posted on October 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

Call this a chili or a stew, it doesn’t really matter. Either way it’s good!

  • 2 pounds Chuck Roast, Beef or Bison, cut in bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup Sweet Onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1 can (6 ozs) Tomato Paste
  • 1 can (16 ozs) Beef Broth
  • 1 can (8 ozs) Tomato Sauce
  • 1 can (15 ozs) Red Kidney Beans, drained
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried Marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika (Smoked Hungarian is great in this)
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Cayenne Pepper

Over medium high heat, brown the meat in batches in a heavy soup pot or Dutch Oven. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onions and red chili powder to meat drippings and cook for 5 minutes until onion is tender. Add some olive oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes.  Return the meat to the pot. Stir in beef broth and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil . Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.  Serve warm. This can be garnished with sour cream, green onions, cornbread etc.

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Cajun Okra

Posted on October 17, 2011 by okieranchwife

This dish is a twist on regular old okra. In a normal growing year I would have pounds and pounds of those pods sitting in my fridge, this year not so much. I have said several times that if we had to eat this winter from our garden produce, we’d be in big trouble. At least we can still get some frozen okra or maybe some tender pods at the store.

  • 3 slices of thick cut Bacon
  • 1/2 cup Sweet Onion, diced
  • 1 small Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 2 cups sliced Okra
  • 1/2 tablespoon Cajun Spices or Fuzz’s No Salt Cajun Blend
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon White or Black Pepper
  • 1 large Tomato chopped or 1 can (8 ozs) diced canned Tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 ozs) Whole Kernel Corn

Cook the bacon very crisp and crumble. Drain on a paper towel. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet and saute the onions and green pepper until tender and browned about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the okra, salt, pepper and Cajun blend and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and corn and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with bacon right before serving so it stays crisp.

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Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Posted on October 15, 2011 by okieranchwife

Today in the fridge I had about 10 pounds of pickling cucumbers from our garden. I knew I had to do something with them but I didn’t want to break out all of my canning equipment. So I rummaged in my corner cabinet for an old one gallon jar from store bought pickles. This recipe is to be used for refrigerator pickles only. Don’t try to process this recipe for the boiling water canning method.

  • 8 to pounds pickling Cucumbers, washed and sliced into spears
  • 1 1/2 quarts Water
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Salt, Kosher or Pickling
  • 2 quarts Water
  • 3 tablespoons Mixed Pickling Spices
  • 3 tablespoons Whole Mustard Seeds
  • 5 tablespoons Dill Seeds
  • 6 cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced in half

Place the cucumber spears and garlic in the gallon jar. Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, water, pickling spices and dill seeds. Bring to a boil and pour over the cucumbers and cover completely. Let sit in the fridge over night before eating. These pickles have stayed fresh in the fridge for 2 months. But they usually get eaten way before they go bad!

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Celery Seed Salad Dressing

Posted on October 13, 2011 by okieranchwife

Try this surprisingly different dressing on your next salad. It’s a nice sweet sour balance.

  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Celery Seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine Sea Salt or Kosher
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh Onion
  • 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor with a blade. Chill before using. Will stay for about a month in the fridge. Shake to mix before using.

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Orange Brandy Chicken Breasts

Posted on October 13, 2011 by okieranchwife

This is a nice recipe that is easy and quick, so it’s good for a week night dinner. But it eats like a meal that took hours to make.

  • 4 (4 oz) Chicken Breasts, boned and skinless
  • 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • Zest from 1 Orange
  • 1/2 cup of juice from fresh Oranges
  • 1/3 cup Brandy
  • 3 inch stick of Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned.  Add the zest, juice, brandy and cinnamon to the skillet. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, set aside and keep warm. Discard the cinnamon stick. Add cornstarch to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until the sauce is thickened. Plate the chicken and drizzle sauce over the chicken breast.  A nice side dish is steamed buttered brocolli.

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Barley, Lentils and Veggies

Posted on October 12, 2011 by okieranchwife
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 4 Carrots, diced
  • 2 Leeks, cleaned and diced
  • 2 ribs Celery, diced
  • 2 medium Zucchini, diced
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 tablspoon fresh Thyme chopped
  • 1 cup dried Lentils
  • 1/2 cup Barley
  • 7 cups Vegetabel broth
  • 2 cups ripe Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup fresh Basil leaves, chopped
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Put EVOO in a large soup pot. Heat. Add carrots, leeks, celery, zucchini, onion and garlic. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Stir in the thyme. Add lentils, barley nad vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. If needed add more veg broth. Serve warm with crusty bread.

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more recipes

Posted on October 11, 2011 by okieranchwife

Stay tuned for more recipes on Wednesday night. They will be worth the wait! I promise.

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