Herbed Crusted Tilapia was a game changer for me. Fish is good for you and our diets should include fish at least once a week. I know that. The thing is, all of my life I’ve lived on one end or the other of the Great Plains and now live smack in the middle. That’s where animals roam – Angus and Hereford cattle, Yorkshires and Berkshires (pigs and yes, Mr. Buffet’s “live” stock, too), even chickens, turkeys and ostrich, buffalo and deer. But fish . . . Fish came as breaded sticks in plastic bags. Or in a box frozen into a solid chunk that had to be defrosted, then the slick stuff was dunked in egg and crushed crackers. And ended up tasting pretty much like the already breaded and bagged fish. Nothing to write home about. Herbed Crusted Tilapia is freshly crispy, with a ... [Read More]
Main Dish
Sweet n Tangy Barbecue Pork Chop Bake
Sweet n tangy barbecue pork chops are quick, easy and sooo good! The first time I made them both Wheels and Bytes spoke after the first couple of bites. “You can make these any time” was Wheels opinion. Bytes said, “These are really good. I’d eat them again. And again.” Nice to know the dish was appreciated and enjoyed. However, the recipe is easy – they can make these barbecue pork chops for themselves! :-) ‘Course both of them are really good about painting and executing some of my wilder ideas, so maybe it’s a fair trade, after all. Use your favorite or a plain store bought barbecue sauce as the base. There is only a hint of tang from the onions and mustard. If you have some handy, add just a single tablespoon of sweet pickle relish for a bit more tang! No one would ... [Read More]
Roja Chicken Enchiladas
Roja Chicken Enchiladas take their name from the red enchilada sauce used over top the filled tortillas. If it were green enchilada sauce, they would be verde enchiladas. Everybody else probably knows that -- but me. :-) Yes, I knew the names meant red and green in Spanish -- but never got close enough to realize they were attached to different kinds of enchilada sauce. Verde gets its green color from tomatillos. Red sauce is -- of course -- tomato based. You probably knew that too. In this case, choose the type of red sauce you like -- mild, medium or hot. You know I'm wimpy about things that just might include heat so I went for the mild. I am making a conscious effort to broaden my cooking/eating experiences. Not sure "hot" is ever going to happen though. :-) Shred the ... [Read More]
Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Bake
Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Bake is delicious, filling comfort food. It is easy to assemble in about 5 minutes. Make the rice mixture in the morning to refrigerate with the thawed chicken in a separate bag. The minute you walk in the door, put the chicken on top of the rice, add the slivered almonds and it is ready to pop in the oven. Sit down for the next forty five minutes or put in a load of laundry, clean the cat box, referee homework and sit down for five minutes! Whatever you need to do! With ten minutes left on the timer, fill bowls with a salad mix from a bag, microwave a steam in the bag vegetable and set out a plate of cookies. Very happy tummies for not much time invested. I use Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice with a seasoning packet. The package says it will ... [Read More]
Italian Meatball Soup
A healthy, full flavored, main dish soup, Italian Meatball Soup is so quick and easy that it is ready to eat in thirty minutes! Cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans) are fiber rich – about 7 grams of fiber per half cup. They also contain 7 grams of protein per half cup, which added to the 13 grams of protein in a serving of six meatballs, accounts for 20 grams of protein. Rather impressive in a bowl of soup. Add the many vitamins and minerals found in spinach, plus the tomatoes and you have a nutritious dish with little effort. This is very straightforward to make. Measure seasonings while the broth is coming to a boil. Add them as you measure and whisk when all have been added. Open the beans and pour into the colander to drain. Open remaining cans so they are ready ... [Read More]
Four Secrets to Roasting a Moist and Tender Turkey
Turkey -- tender and moist. Crispy and golden on the platter. A twelve to fourteen pound bird that roasts in 2 and a half hours instead of 4. What creates this magic? Mayonnaise makes the turkey moist and tender. And no, there is no mayo taste -- just tender turkey. The bird turns out a beautiful deep golden color. The skin will be thin and on the crispy side. How to achieve a moist and tender roast turkey? Here's secret # 1 -- Begin with a thoroughly thawed turkey -- no ice crystals. Thaw in the refrigerator according to package directions. Guidelines are 24 hours in the fridge for each 5 pounds of turkey weight. For a 12-14 pound turkey that's about three nights so that means plan ahead! If you are like me -- that planning ahead business doesn't always happen! Backup ... [Read More]
