Mexican Pizza

My goals, of late, have not included blogging.  But when I go to the office, a certain co-worker notes that he's looking for more recipes.  He's gluten-free, so here's one for Tim!

Mexican Pizza.  We eat a lot of mexican food in our house.  What's not to like.... easy to prepare, easy to adjust for various tastes and dietary issues, and always delicious. 

I make a rolled taco dish that's delicious (here).  If you put them in a dish and covered them with salsa and cheese, you'd have enchiladas.  And in this variation, I make them open-face, and call them pizza.

I'm ready for my cheese!

Mexican Pizza
serves 4

4 flour tortillas (12" size or so)-- substitute 8 corn tortillas for a GF variation

8 oz refried beans (1/2 can)

8 oz canelli beans (1/2 can- can substitute another variety you like)

8 oz cooked meat-- left-over rotisserie chicken, ground beef, chorizo, vegetarian or skip all together

8 oz shredded cheese (mexican blend or your favorite)

Heat over to 425 degrees.  Lay tortillas onto baking sheets.  Divide the refried beans and spread over the tortillas.  Top with whole beans, then meat, then cheese.  Bake 10 minutes or until the tortillas get crunchy and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and any other mexican sides.

Note:  The extra 1/2 can refried beans will keep in your freezer.  Simply put it in freezer-safe container, and don't forget about it!

Red Curry Chicken

This one comes from a Real Simple article (Oct 2011)... a dinner table makeover, so to speak.  These families found it impossible to cook healthy meals because of their schedule, skills, or something else.  Cooking for the family has never been my problem, but I go through streaks where I can't seem to find a new recipe that the whole family likes. 

That said, this recipe appealed to me, and it was very easy to put together.  But I was certain the kids wouldn't eat it...  unfamiliar seasonings, too much sauce, etc.  So I made it on a night where I had left-over mac and cheese (homemade, compliments of a yummy recipe from Six O'Clock Scramble).  The plan was for the kids to try the chicken, and when they didn't like it, they could eat the mac and cheese.

Didn't work out that way.... kids loved this dish!  Both opted for it to be served beside the rice with no cooked red peppers; one asked for just chicken, no sauce.  But they scarfed every bite they were served.  One had seconds of chicken and then ate a serving of mac and cheese for dessert!  You may find me snacking later tonight, since the kids at my portion at dinner :-)

The red chili paste is reduced from the original recipe, and I swapped out red peppers for green ones.

Red Curry Chicken
1 lb boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips
1 tsp oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
1/4 cup chicken broth (substitute water if needed)
1/4 tsp salt (if using water or unsalted broth)
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1  can (15 oz) lite coconut milk
rice, lime wedges for serving

1. In a non-stick skillet, warm oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until golden on each side.

2. Add pepper and chicken broth/water and salt; cook 2 minutes or until peppers are tender.

3. Reduce heat to a simmer and add coconut milk and chili paste.  Stir, and allow to rest at least five minutes, or longer if dinner is delayed.

4. Serve over rice with lime wedges.

Pretzel Chicken

Darn it.... forgot to take a photo!  It wasn't even ugly!

You'll have to imagine how yummy this looks. Or make it yourself and send me the photos!

Kids loved this one.  I used whole grain mustard that was flavorful but had no 'burn.'  For a stronger flavor, add more mustard, use a stronger mustard or decrease the honey.

Pretzel Chicken
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup pretzel crumbs (small pieces are fine, no need to crush them into dust)
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt (if your pretzels are very salty, then omit this extra salt)

Heat oven to 400°.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil, then wipe with a tsp of vegetable oil.  The pan gets kind of messy, and this avoids the clean up.

Mix honey, mustard, oregano and salt in a small bowl.  if possible, open up the thigh so its long and thin, then dredge one side of the thigh in the pretzel crumbs.  Place on the prepared cookie sheet, and spread with the honey mustard mixture.  Top with remaining pretzel crumbs, then bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Yummus-Hummus Chicken

It's been tough going back to work after almost two weeks off.  There was a particular project I was working on in December that needed to be wrapped up and handed off this week.  No one knew I was working on it- one of those things that you know is coming so you just get it done before being asked.

It was painful- getting the necessary information was like pulling teeth.   In one series of emails, I asked someone if they could pull together some figures.  After denying that he would have had anything to do with the project he said, 'Oh THAT project?  Why didn't you say so...  that's mine'.   For goodness sake, the name of the project was in the email subject!!!  So yes, I earned my time away from the office.

But in coming back from vacation, it took three days to figure out where I'd left off.  Finally got it done today-- phew!

In the end, no good deed goes unpunished. I'll remember that next time.

So the first week back in the office is done, but there was still hummus leftover from the New Year's Day Open House.  And it needed to be eaten.

I had clipped this recipe from the Post when it ran in March.  This was the first time I made it, and I'm sorry I waited.  Except for the lime, I made it exactly as written.  The hummus does benefit from the addition of water, bringing it from 'thick' to 'creamy'.  The spices are wonderful, and it gave me an excuse to use some of my stash from Penzey's.

Kids loved the chicken, although they preferred to dip it in regular, unflavored hummus.  Ah well, more of the spiced stuff for me!  Dinner was chicken, hummus and steamed broccoli (also dipped in hummus), and a trip out for ice cream!

Happy first week of 2012!

Quick Curried Chicken

The inspiration for this comes from Cooking Light.  The recipe was clipped from the magazine eleven years ago and filed it away in my recipe box, never to be heard from again.  Last month, I cleaned out the box and organized the recipes into usable categories in a large expandable file. This one caught my attention since it could be made with the boneless skinless chicken breasts I had defrosted for taco night yesterday but didn't need-- the ground beef, chips and margaritas (adults only!) were plenty.

The original recipe came with a suggested couscous recipe which sounded great, but was soggy.  If I figure out how to make it well, I'll update this.  Until then, serve with brown rice and make liberal use of the coconut milky-sauce that's left after the chicken is cooked.

 

This chicken, coated with yellow curry powder, came out of the pan with the most lovely golden brown color.  The carrots were cooked tender-crisp and not at all mushy; even my 'raw-carrots only' child ate them up.

Quick Curried Chicken
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 pinch salt
1 Tbsp  veggie oil
1 cup coconut milk (lite)
1 tsp minced ginger
10-15 baby carrots, cut thin lengthwise
1/3 cup raisins

1. Cut the chicken breasts into strips 1/2 inch thick.  If needed, pound with a meat tenderizer/rolling pin to get the desired result.  If you're making rice, you'll need to start it now.

2. In a bowl, mix the flour, curry and salt.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.

3. Warm the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add the coated chicken and brown on each side, 3-4 minutes

4. When the second side is brown, add coconut milk, ginger, carrots and raisins.  Turn to coat the chicken.  Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Remove the cooked chicken and carrots to a plate, and return the heat to medium to allow the sauce to cook down a bit.  Serve with rice, and top with the sauce.

Chicken Stock

At heart, I am a cheap frugal person. The concepts of recycle and reuse come naturally to me.  Why would I buy something when I can reuse what I have?  It's one of my personal challenges in paying for technology- with lifecycles so short, it's hard to justify the purchase!  Thankfully, I indulge my geeky side at work, so there's no reason for me (or my family) to go without.

This post is about the same thing, but in the kitchen.  You may already know you can make chicken broth from chicken bones.  But did you know you can do it in the slow cooker, using little energy and even less time?! 

It's true, it's true!

Making chicken stock on the stove is easy.  But making it in the slow cooker turns the process into something you can do at almost any time more stock is needed.  Bones and required veggies can be stored in the freezer, and retrieved whenever you have five minutes to set it all up. I put mine together after making breakfast today, and it's cooking away while I'm at work.  There's some messy work to done after the slow cooker part is complete, but it can be done in steps and over the course of a few days as needed. 

I used to chill the stock and remove the fat that congealed on top.  Lately though, I find that if I don't add chicken skin to the pot, the stock is relatively low fat and there's not much to skim.   Omitting the skin probably also lowers the salt content of the finished product, as so many store-bought rotisserie chickens are salty.  Yummy.... but salty.

Regardless of using skin in the pot or not,  I don't add salt to my stock.  Different recipes have different requirements, so I choose to add it to the finished product.  Consider that when you are tasting the stock at different stages.

Here's the process:

Chicken Stock
1 chicken carcass, or parts of different carcasses
2 carrots, with tops if available
1 leek, or the green part of 2 leeks, or an onion quartered and 2 stalks celery
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/8 tsp whole cloves
5 sprigs parsley (carrot greens can substitute as needed)

1. Load all into the slow cooker and cover with water.  Put on the cover, turn on to low and leave it all day, 8-10 hours.

2. When you get home, take the cover off and turn up to high for an hour  (or more)... this allows some liquid to cook off, and intensifies the flavor.

3.  Turn off the slow cooker, and leave to cool.  (I leave mine covered on the counter all night.  I'm sure food safety experts would be aghast-- feel free to put it in the fridge instead.  The stock will jell and you'll need to let it come to room temperature again before continuing with step 4).

4.  Next, remove the solids.  I use a slotted spoon and dump them right into the trash.   Then take out the trash.

5.  Strain the stock using a sieve to remove peppercorns, cloves and other debris you couldn't lift out.  If you are an overacheiver, strain through cheesecloth for clearer stock.

6. Chill the resulting liquid overnight in the fridge if you wish to remove the fat--  or skip this step.

7.  Decant it into smaller containers, and store in the freezer until needed. 

Most batches of this recipe (4 quart crock pot, 10 cups water) yield at 6 cups of stock.  I freeze it in four and one cup containers, so I always have the right amount available for a recipe.

Slow Cooker Chicken, two versions

To know me, is to know I love my Crock Pot.  Cooking with it mirrors my parenting theory...  sometimes, benign neglect can be a good thing.  And that's the thing with a slow cooker- its all about neglect.

Chicken parts have always been a natural for the slow cooker.  Chicken leg quarters (drumstick/thigh) can be skinned, tossed in the slow cooker with a variety of sauces and left to cook all day.  Just this week I put five lbs of bone-in chicken thighs- big sale in the meat section!- into my Crock Pot with Goya Mojo Criollo Marinade (major grocery stores in my area carry this in the 'Mexican' or 'latin' section).  Here's the recipe- hang onto your hats, this is very precise (not).....

Put skinless chicken parts into the crock pot, and pour in 1-2 cups of sauce.  Cover, cook on low for seven hours or so.  Remove from heat.  When cool, put in fridge.  The next day or so, skim off any fat, then warm in the microwave when it's time for dinner.  The process of moving the chicken from the slow cooker to a microwave safe bowl usually causes the chicken to fall apart, leaving your dinner boneless.  Perfect!

For my family, I will divide the cooked chicken into two Foodsaver bags and stash them in the freezer for a five minute dinner another day.  One other note... slow-cooked meat ALWAYS tastes better the next day.  Alton Brown explains the science of this- the heating/cooling/heating of the meat causes the connective tissues to break down rendering the meat very tender.  Trial and error would have led you here eventually, especially if you double your slow cooker recipes so another day's dinner is done.

Other sauces to use for this technique....

• Red Thai Curry or Yellow Thai Curry from Trader Joes.  
• Half coconut milk/half Thai peanut sauce.
• Mild salsa (try green tomatillo based-salsas)
• your favorite barbecue sauces (I think the vinegar based sauces are best for slow cooking)

As I looked to expand my repertoire, I found that there are blogs and cookbooks dedicated to this style of cooking.  This one is well known.  Unfortunately for me, the author and I have very different tastes, and I have found most of her recipes disappointing.  I could be doing something wrong, of course- explore the blog on your own, perhaps your taste buds will match up with hers better than mine.

One gem was found among all the rest...  this one. As much as I love a crispy skinned roast chicken, there's not often 60-90 minutes at home before dinner to do it right.  But it's cost effective to buy a whole bird, and for our family, it's dinner tonight plus leftovers for Gracias Casserole and a few quesadillas for lunch for the kids.  Very useful.  

Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker
1 chicken, whole
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Wash chicken, and place in the slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken, rubbing on top of and below covering well.  Turn the chicken so that the chicken breast is in the bottom of the pot--  the cavity should be pointing down if your slow cooker is on the small side.  Turn slow cooker to low, and cook 6-8 hours until chicken is done.

2. When cooked, remove chicken to a covered casserole dish.  Allow pan juices to separate, and discard fat, keeping the 'gravy' to moisten any parts of the cooked chicken which might get dry, Mine don't, but I imagine it can.... you could also make a real gravy with the pan juices, or mix into mashed potatoes.  Yum!

Two more versions of this I make:

• Provencal... 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1/4 tsp white pepper and the juice of a lemon.  Put the used lemon in the chicken cavity.
• BBQ:  Use a tablespoon of Northwoods spice blend, found at Penzeys. It's a BBQ flavored blend that was offered free with a coupon once and I found I liked it.    First one's for free!

Note 1:  No idea how her bird holds together for the photo on the blog post above...  mine comes out boneless.  That's the reason this post has no photos.... they didn't look appetizing!
Note 2:  Crock Pot is a brand name.  Slow cooker is the name of the generic appliance, although my slow cooker is a Crock Pot, so it's appropriate for me to describe it as such.  I didn't want the trademark police coming after me....

PB &J Chicken

My kids don't eat a lot of kid food.  From the time they were first eating solids, I tried to feed them things that didn't come from neat little jars.  Sure, those jars are easy, but billions of people the world over manage to raise children without them, feeding the little people the same food the big people eat.  Even today, we eschew chicken nuggets and fish sticks, preferring to serve the kids roasted chicken and salmon burgers.

It's an interesting transition... talking about what my kids ate as babies to PB&J Chicken, right?  Because my kids will eat Hoisin Chicken, Garlic Chicken,  Chicken with Pesto Sauce.... any manner of 'adult food'.  Why make something so seemingly kid-centric?

The real reason....  because I wanted it!

I love PB&J, and this seemed like a wonderful way to indulge my taste preferences. The rest of the family could come along for the ride.

This recipe came from here.  Unlike the Rachael Ray categories, I didn't have grape jelly on hand.  so I first made the recipe with homemade blackberry jam, but found that it didn't bring the 'sweet' vibe that the recipe needs.  The second time I made it I used the classic gelatinous grape jelly, and it was an improvement.  Also, I used Skippy Peanut Butter, which isn't 'natural' but is well liked by my family.   In preparing the marinade, use a whisk to break up the peanut butter (I use  this flat one).  Unless your peanut butter is really salty, make sure you add the extra salt.  Lastly, I used skinless drumsticks-- wings are too much work for too little meat!

Chicken drumsticks lounging in a PB&J bath

As prepared with the notes above, one of my kids declared this was 'the best recipe EVER!' as he ate three drumsticks. He says that about once a month, and I smile proudly every time.

Sticky, meet Yummy.  Yummy, meet Sticky.  Now smile!

Next time, Mr. Unwired will grill these little darlings.  The direct heat  on the grape jelly will either burn them to a crisp or, if watched carefully, caramelize nicely. Either way, post your comments below!

Garlic Chicken

Tonight's dinner was from a recipe I've had in my repertoire for years.  If you have time after the chicken is cooked, boil the sauce to reduce, and serve with the chicken-- it's really good over brown rice.  My kids both enjoy the chicken; they seem to be 50/50 on having it with additional sauce. 

Garlic Chicken
1 Tbsp garlic minced
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1/8 tsp chili powder
2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients except chicken in a small measuring cup.

2. Place chicken into pan bone-side down (I use an 8x8 glass pan lined with aluminum foil for easy clean-up).   Pour sauce over chicken to coat, then turn chicken over breast side down to cook- it's moister this way.  Bake for one hour (or until cooked through), basting at the 30 minute mark with the pan juices.