Posted: 6/2/2005 1:34:58 PM EDT
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And I figured there ought to be one here ... maybe not, we'll see. Last night I started craving french onion soup ... so I made a pot... (I'm eating it again tonight). I KNOW in the other freezer I have some french baguette bread frozen. But I didn't feel like going out in the wet, dark and cool to do that, and figured there wouldn't be THAT much difference if I just toasted up some rye bread I had in the inside freezer. I also didn't have any "swiss" cheese so I used some Mexican cheese I had in the fridge. BOY am I THRILLED I used these substitutions! So here's the "Not so French" Onion Soup: 3 cans Campbell's Consume soup. 3 large vidalia onions (sliced in thin rings) several dashes of worchestershire sauce (3-6 to taste) 1/2 lb butter (I like it a tad heavier) 1 pkg (8oz.) Mexican Style Cheese - (Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla & Asadero Cheeses) 1-8 slices Rye bread - toasted (1 slice per bowl being served) (I prefer the seedless) Put 1/4 lb. butter in med. saucepan until melted, add onions, cook down until they begin to carmelize (brown) add remaining butter. Once it is melted,. add soup & worchestershire sauce & simmer. About 10 minutes. Dip out into onion soup bowls (with handles) add bread and top w/generous helping of cheese - put under broiler until cheese is melted or slightly hardened. Serve. Enjoy. |
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Yummy! And since I am far more domesticated than my screen name implies, I shall share my dinner recipe from this evening: Chicken Picatta with tortellini Alfredo Thin chicken breasts, breaded and fried in OLIVE oil (can't use anything else) after turning, when the second side is starting to brown, reduce heat and add a can of chicken broth and as many sliced mushrooms as you want (or don't) Simmer on med/low until chix is done. Place chix in oven to keep warm. Add a syrupy paste of lemon juice and flour and keep stirring with a wooden spatula to get the chicken bits up and the sauce to thicken a bit. If ya got capers, throw 'em in (hubby hates 'em so none for me) Meanwhile, Seperate pan, boil salted water and add whatever 'roni's ya got (I used tortellini) In a Seperate pan: cut up a block of Philly cream cheese and melt it with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup milk, and about 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesean cheese. Stir until creamy Pour over tortellini and done! I really don't "measure" stuff (we Guineas simply don't learn to cook that way!) so alot of the above is to taste...and practically infallible: I've had the picatta sauce be thicker at times than others and it still is yummy...same with the alfredo |
That sounds good too  I tend to not REALLY "measure" either... but I have pretty accurate "guesses" ... all my family on mom's side came from KY... (mom was the first born in Ohio) and "hillbillies" tend to not "measure" much either  (Dad's side came from WV... so not much "help" there either )When I get a chance I'll have to post my "heart-attack on a plate" recipe (Chicken in Haven Sauce)...it's a tad more "complex" though
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I made some awesome vegetarian chili today. I got the recipie from foodtv.com. Pour some oil in a big pot and sautee chopped and seeded green bell peppers, chopped and seeded red bell peppers, chopped and seeded jalepeno peppers, and crushed and chopped garlic. After the vegetables are softened, pour in a cup of vegetable broth or stock, a 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes, a 14 oz can of black beans, a 14 oz can of dark red kidney beans. Season the chili with about a tablespoon of cumin and a teaspoon of chili powder (I like my food spicy so I put more than that in). To thicken the chili, mix in a 14 oz can of refried beans. It was SOOOOOO good. I was very proud of myself. And the best part is that Afplayboy liked it. 
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OK Ladies...here's an easy dessert: no cooking and best of all it can be varied for your mood: STRAWBERRY TRIFLE (Trifles come from the Scots, who invented the 2 handed broadsword called the Claymore whose name was applied to the Claymore Mine...whose name I parlayed into my screen name) History lesson over: you'll need: Quart strawberries 8 oz Sour Cream 1 pkg INSTANT vanilla pudding 1 Angel Food cake (can buy these already made in most markets or make one from a mix---naturally lowfat low carb!) 1 large tub of cool whip Splash of Milk Okay, get a large glass bowl or Trifle dish if ya got one and break 1/2 of the angel cake up into bite sized pieces and layer bottom of bowl. In a large bowl, stir together Cool Whip, sour cream, vanilla pudding and milk until blended. NOT TOO MUCH MILK or it will be runny  Now, slice 1/2 the strawberris and layer them on top of the cake. Add 1/2 the pudding mixture. Then do the same three steps again: cake/strawberries/pudding mixture. Slice and splay one berry on top for garnish You're done and it should look like this:  Variations: lowfat coolwhip/sour cream/milk for those watching their weight Add blueberries too for a 4th of July picnic or BBQ use instant Banana pudding (not recommended if blueberries are used also) or instant cheesecake pudding (pudding MUST be instant kind or it will clump and taste grainy!) I make this all the time at the request of friends when I have them over for BBQs in the summer or when I am going to their homes and foolishly ask "can I bring something?" Everybody loves it and it's easy and light |
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Okay, this one is a tad more "complex" and if you don't like "hot" (as in spicy) food, OR you don't tend to like India(n) food... probably best to "skip" this one ;) I just took stock of food stuff I had handy, and started to "experiment"... _I_ really LIKE it... OMMV. I'm calling it "Indian Chili" 1/2 lb rump roast cut into small pieces (1/4" cubes) 3 Tblsp butter 1 med onion - diced 1 can shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/2 packet of burito or fajita seasoning mix 1 can RED GOLD diced tomatoes - chili ready 1/4 C green chana (chick peas would work too) 1/4 C Udad (dal) -(can find at Indian grocer - I like because it has a good supply of iron.) 1/4 C red lentils 6-9 cardamom pods fresh ground cardamom ground ginger curry powder cinnamon powder dash - garam masala 1/2 fresh lime, (including zest) Mexican blend cheese (if desired) Put the 1st 5 ingredients in a skillet until meat is "basically" cooked, and onions are at least somewhat "tender". Add the tomatoes and the chana, udad dal and lentils (if they are not "canned" cook in pot until soft - THEN add - I work w/dried chana, udad dal & lentils) stir. add the pods and spices. I put a light srinkling of the ground cardamom (as the curry power already HAS some), ginger and garam masala. (probably anout 1/4-1/2 tsp. each) The curry I use heaviest, and the cinnamon isn't far behind... probably a tad UNDER 1 Tblsp of cinnamon and slightly OVER 1 Tblsp of the curry powder. Cook a bit longer (10-30 minutes) squeeze in lime and grate off zest, stir, serve. Sprinkle w/cheese if desired. |
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Okay, here's the "Heart-Attack on a plate" recipe... Called: Poached Chicken in Haven Sauce 8 Chicken breasts (or fillets) 1/2 C Chicken broth 3 sprigs fresh Tarragon Haven Sauce I Cook the breasts in the oven for about 30-45 min (depending upon size/quantity) in a casserole dish and about 1/2 C water on 350 in the oven. Then I turn on the broiler, put a "rack" over the dish place the breasts on the rack (a cake cooling rack is what I use) and brown the skins under the broiler, Then I spoon some of the chicken broth over the browned breasts, then sprinkle on the tarragon... turn OFF oven and place breasts IN oven to stay warm... Meanwhile.... Haven Sauce 7 T unsalted butter 3T all purpose flour 2T fine chopped carrots 2T fiine chopped celery 2T fine chopped onion 1C chicken broth (from baking the breasts) 1C heavy cream 1t kosher salt (or sea salt) fresh ground pepper Heat butter over med-low heat until melted. Whisk in broth and then cream, add veggies. Cook uncovered for 7-10 min until reduced by 1/3 Remove from heat, season w/salt and pepper. Strain sauce through a fine seive. Pour over chicken breasts, serve. |